Obesity has been labeled as the most dangerous pandemic for the twenty first century by many social and health care commentators. While the idea of a non-communicable and non-pathogenic physical condition may not fit the traditional definition of a pandemic, the parallels are valid nonetheless. Obesity is related to many of the leading causes of death in the western world, and the rate of obesity has increased alarmingly in the last several decades. In fact, the prevalence and severity of obesity is so great today that many experts fear that the current generation may be the first one in many centuries that will have a life span that is less than that of the previous generation. Clearly, obesity is a major problem, and the health care community is working to make obesity detection and treatment a public health priority. While obesity can often be caused by an underlying physical disorder, as in the case of diabetes obesity or other obesity disease, the most common cause is a poorly controlled diet and a sedentary lifestyle. Obesity is increasing most precipitously in the young, and obesity in kids as well as teenage obesity are considered to be particularly worrying.

To determine if someone is seriously obese instead of just "big boned" or plump, it is necessary to have a scientific way of measuring obesity. Simply measuring the weight of an individual is insufficient since other factors such as body type and height impact the weight of the individual without contributing to obesity. The most common way of obtaining a true measure of the relative level of obesity in an individual is to use the body mass index. A body mass index measurement is simply a ratio of the weight of the individual to his or her height. While body mass index measurements do provide a standard way to measure obesity, the approach is not terribly sophisticated and can not take into account whether the weight is caused by muscle or fat. More complex methods of obesity metrology are often used. One of the most common second level metrics is the body fat measurement. The most accurate way to measure body fat concentration is to measure how much a person weighs in the air and then weigh them again in the water. Since fat is more buoyant than muscle, it is possible to get a decent measurement of the ratio of muscle to fat weight using this technique. However, measuring body fat in this way requires special equipment and is not suitable for the average patient. There are other methods such as the skin fold test as well as more sophisticated electrical measurements that can be used to approximate body fat levels.

Daniel Yancy writes on a variety of subjects and recommends for more information on the subject.

It is well known that a person suffering of diabetes has special needs regarding food and diet.

One of the most valuable fruits used in the diabetic's diet is the apple. Apples contain in their rind and pulp a high level of pectine, which supplies the galacturonic acid needed in the process of cleaning the body of harmful substances. It also decreases the body's need of insulin by 35%.

Besides pectine, apples also contain vitamin B1, which has an important role in preventing brain damages during diabetic acidosis, and reverses a complication that appears in diabetes: the neurosis. This complication can be relieved by administering high doses of vitamin B1.

Another valuable fruit is the grapefruit, a citrus fruit. Besides its appetizing properties and its refreshing qualities, studies have proved its usefulness in decreasing the level of sugar in the blood if taken two weeks, three times a day. Associated to this diet, consume of sweets, chocolate, and fats should be reduced and replaced with consume of more vegetables and fruits.

Other anti-diabetes fruit is The Jambul Fruit (also known as the rose apple) which grows in India, used at first by natives. It has a strong effect on the pancreas, checking the wrong transformation of starch into sugar in case of increase production of glucose.

The fruit is mostly used for its seeds which are dried, powdered and then mixed with water. This drink taken three times a day controls the level of sugar in the blood, allays thirst and prevents excessive urination.

In Ayurveda another treatment is considered to be useful in diabetes: the use of white ash from the inner bark of jambul tree, crumbled in the mortar, strained and then bottled. The treatment consists in giving the patient in the morning, on an empty stomach two grams of the ash and then the same in the afternoon. It is considered that this treatment controls excessive urination that affects most of the diabetics.

An equilibrate diet, based on vegetables, fruit and juices, and with less fats and sweets, associated with an active lifestyle, quitting smoking, self measuring the level of sugar in the blood and losing weight could control the diabetes and allow the patients to live a normal life.

For more information about diabetes causes, diet, treatment and home remedies, visit So, if you want to find out more about juvenile diabetes or even about diabetes mellitus please follow this link

Obesity in schoolchildren has increased in the last decade. The impact of obesity is that more children are now with Type 2 or lifestyle diabetes (when the body produces either insufficient or ineffective insulin) as a result of their diets and less exercise. This is a worldwide problem that is not to be overlooked because diabetes and obesity are two of the leading risk factors of heart disease.

There are 5 things that can affect children's eating habits:

High-calorie, high-fat and ready-made foods -

These are easily available and children, even adults, love them. Fast foods and processed snacks like potato chips and biscuits can be addictive once children's palates get used to them.

TV, DVD, Game Boy, Xbox and home computers -

Studies have shown a strong link between overweight and the time spent in front of the TV and computer.

Subliminal Advertising Messages -

These messages are carried by the commercials of fast foods, sugar-loaded drinks and candies. Children bombarded by these advertisements develop an unhealthy desire for unhealthy foods.

Over-emphasis on School Grades -

Concerns about doing well in school have led to children becoming more sedentary. They stay more time indoors to finish their homework, school projects and attend tuition classes.

Mum's Not Cooking -

More working parents mean people have less time to cook meals at home. Increasingly, children eat out and can choose to eat whatever they like, usually foods of little or no nutritional value, and foods that are simply unhealthy.

Experts admit that toddler years (that is, when children are about 2 years old) are very crucial in shaping physical growth as well as forming food habits and preferences. As children approach late childhood, between 7 and 10, it becomes more difficult to change their eating habits or reduce the unwanted kilos.

It is during these early years that eating attitudes will develop, including the type of foods considered 'normal' and whether meal times should be regarded as a side-activity while watching television or at play.

This is also the period when the child decides if he or she likes salty, sweet and oily fried foods as he or she is moving away from drinking milk and having weaning diets to solids with more texture, smell, and taste. Toddles begin to realize thy can exert control and that the best way is during meal times. Parents and minders must, therefore, be creative when it comes to feeding by giving a variety of healthy foods, making them fun and easy on the eyes.

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Diabetes is considered a serios affection due to its permanent existence, procedures and moreover the complications that involves. Even though many people all over the world suffer from diabetes, the specialists haven t discovered yet the real source of its occurance. It is very important to mention that people who suffer from diabets should ask for medical help as soon as they notice changes in their body and unusual symptoms.

First of all, diabetes occurs when the beta cells in the pancreas which produce insulin are totally destroyed. As we know the food that we eat turns into glucose or sugar helping our body to use for energy. Once there aren' t beta cells to produce insulin in order to transfer the glucose in the cells, the sugar remains in the blood and because the body cannot use sugar, it is spilled over into the urine and lost. Much more, diabetes can lead to severe health complications, such as heart disease, kidney failure, blindless, lower-extremity amputations and in many cases even death.

Secondly, people who notice certain symptoms which indicate the presence of diabetes should see a physician in order to receive a proper diagnosis. Some of the most common symtoms which indicate the presence of diabetes are: excessive hunger and thirst, frequent urination, dramatic weight loss, lack of energy, dry skin, wounds that heal very hard and even nausea and stomach pains, symptoms which usually occur in type 1 diabetes.

In addition to this, there are two types of diabetes which are quoted from the National Diabetes Fact Sheet: National estimates and general information on diabetes in the United States (Centers for Disease Control an Prevention. Atlanta, GA: US Department of Health and Human Services, 1997). Much more, type 1 diabetes tends to be more serios than type 2 diabetes and usually occurs during the childhood.

Type 1 diabetes also called insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM) or Juvenile-Onset diabetes, is a common disease in children and may account for 5% to 10% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. The factors which cause type 1 diabetes aren t entirely known but it has been considered that genetic predisposition and enviromental factors, such as viral infections might have an important influence. On the other hand, type 2 diabetes also known as non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) or adult-onset diabetes. This type of diabetes may appear due to certain factors, such as older age, obesity, impaired glucose tolerance, family history of diabetes, physical inactivity, prior history of gestional diabetes and other factors. It has been considered that certain races and ethnicities, such as african americans, american indians, latino americans are more exposed to get type 2 diabetes than other people.

Gestional diabetes seem to occur in 2% to 5% of all pregnancies but the good thing is that usually disappears when the woman gives birth. Even though a woman who had suffered of gestional diabetes and healed when the pregnancy was over, might develop type 2 diabetes in the future.

Furthermore, there are other types of diabetes which may account for 1% to 2% of all known cases of diabetes and they occur from genetic syndroms, surgeries, drugs, malnutrition, infections and many other affections.

Medical treatments for diabetes are vital for the body and include important changes in the lifestyle. Diabetes treatments tend to adavance in a short time and their role is to maintain blood glucose near normal levels at all times. For instance, type 1 diabetes, the most severe type requires a wide range of procedures. People who suffer from this type of diabetes need a special treatment which include: administration of insulin injections, home blood glucose testing several times a day, a certain, calculated diet and also planned physical exercises. Even though, type 2 diabets is not so serios like type 1, it also requires a strict treatment which consists in special diets, physical activities, home blood glucose testing, oral medication and 40% of the cases require insulin injections.

The causes of type 1 diabetes are not entirely identified, it is believed that it occurs to genetics predisposition or certain viruses which destroy the beta cells in the pancreas. Some important factors which may develop type 2 diabetes are lack of activity and overweight.

In order to take care of the people who suffer from diabetes, the diabetes community offers, pursued by the US Departament of Health and Human Services offer three options: prevent diabetes, cure diabetes and moreover taking better care of people with diabetes to prevent dramatic complications. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is involved in the research of curing type 1 and type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention focuses through their programmes on being sure that the proven science is put into daily practice for people with diabetes.

All in all, even though diabetes tends to be an incurable illness, the science try to discover and consequently to utilize in practice several methods to cure diabetes, such as pancreas transplantation, artificial pancreas development, islet cell transplantation and genetic manipulation. However, until these approaches become reality they need to pass through a serie of investigations like preventing immune rejection, finding an adequate number of insulin cells, keeping cells alive and many others.

So, if you want to find out more about type 2 diabetes or even about what causes diabetes please follow this link

Diabetes is an affection that prevents the human body from using insulin in transforming the glucose from the blood, leading to an accumulation of glucose in the blood, also known as a high sugar level in the blood.

As a consequence of diabetes, the human body is unable to transform food into energy, and so, it develops other problems involving the heart, the eyes (leading to a blurred vision), and even blood clotting which is very dangerous because it can get you to a cerebral vascular accident (stroke).

By a recent estimate, in the US are known to be 17 million people suffering by diabetes, leading to the conclusion that diabetes is quite a common disease.

Nowadays, people affected by diabetes can use many home remedies to improve their living and to keep their blood sugar levels constant, leading to controlling the diabetes.

People suffering of diabetes are known as owners of a weakened immune system, causing them a lot of inconveniences, such as planter warts.

Planter warts are caused by the attack of a virus called The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV), and they occur on the sole of the foot. Also, due to this weakened immune system, the planter warts will not cure so easily.

The doctor will inform the person affected by diabetes that this illness can not be cured, but it can be held under control by keeping the sugar lever in the blood within a limit. So, the patient will follow an appropriate diet, will self monitor his blood sugar concentration and will follow an active lifestyle.

Another solution to become insulin independent it to have a kidney-pancreas transplant, but this is costly and risky and not most people will opt for this.

Nowadays, researchers try to find a remedy for diabetes using stem cells, but their solution is not ready to be applied on humans yet.

One of the most reliable methods to control diabetes is to keep a proper diet. Patients with diabetes type I should eat 35 calories/kg of body weight daily, equalizing to 16 calories/ pound/ day. Patients with diabetes type II can eat 1500-1800 calories/day and even more if they are obese.

Carbohydrates are very important, because they keep the blood sugar levels low, and so, they should represent 50% of the daily calories.

Another effective home remedy is the bitter gourd, also known as Karela. One tablespoon of Karela juice/day can amazingly lower your blood sugar level, but it does not taste too good. A tablespoon of Amla juice taken daily for two months can stimulate your pancreas to secrete insulin. The leaves of Butea tree are also effective.

Another popular remedy is: ten Tulsi leaves, ten Belpatras and ten Neem leaves, with a glass of water taken on an empty stomach.

People suffering of diabetes must follow an active lifestyle. Doctors recommend 30 minutes of exercises daily and a supplement of vitamins and minerals.

One of the most important things in trying to control the diabetes is the support of the family and friends during the first weeks of the new adjustments in the patient's life.

So, if you want to find out more about type 1 diabetes or even about symptoms of diabetes please follow this link

Heart health needs not deteriorate when you grow older. You must focus on the impact of heart disease and the risk factors in order to help prolong your heart's youth. We should be looking at someone being healthy for his or her age instead of looking at someone who is simply looking young for his or her age.

To do so, you have to measure the youth of your heart against yourself: whether at 70, you are still able to do the things that you did at 50, without breaking sweat.

An 80-year-old man with silver hair plays basketball every morning without fail. A 76-year-old marathoner took part in the grueling 100 km alpine ultramarathon by traveling all the way to Mongolia by plane. These two gentlemen are just two of the good examples of "young at heart".

International studies have shown that a 65-year-old person who exercises regularly can bring his or her heart age to that of a 25-year-old who does not exercise as much. A healthy heart is vital for living to the fullest regardless of age, sex or race.

Besides age, the major risk factors of heart disease include high blood pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle. Stress, smoking and alcohol are some of the other culprits. When you are able to modify these risk factors, you are able to slow down the aging process of your heart.

Regular exercise that can keep the heart pumping blood efficiently with every beat is one way to alter the risk factors.

A 56-year-old man has never bothered about his 100 kg weight and his one-pack-a-day smoking habit until the day when he actually suffered a mild heart attack. After the incidence, he has to undergo bypass surgery. He is advised by his doctor that his new lease can possibly last up to 10 years if he is serious about keeping fit.

Being father of eight children and grandfather of 16 grandchildren, he knows that he is very lucky to have this second lease of life and he is determined to control his diet and he quits smoking right away. Brisk-walking has since then become his regular activity in the morning to keep his weight down.

He knows very well that he has to take care of his heart now to make sure it lasts longer. In the meantime, he is also setting a good example for his children and grandchildren to cultivate a healthy lifestyle among his family.

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It is estimated that there are at least 16 million Americans who are diabetic. This is an alarming figure in itself but when one considers the fact that often people who are suffering from diabetes have virtually no symptoms of the disease, then the idea becomes even more worrying. Although it is now common hearsay that one can easily detect the symptoms of this disease, but one cannot be perfectly sure of being diabetic. It requires a blood test to establish for certain that one has diabetes.

The blood test that is done for checking diabetes is a test to check the blood sugar levels in the body. The test is carried out in two phases on the same day. The first blood test is carried out on the patient's blood when he is fasting. So, a patient coming for the test arrives without taking his breakfast or even a cup of morning tea or coffee. If the blood sugar levels are found to be 126 milligrams per deciliter or higher, on two separate occasions, after fasting, then there is a likelihood of diabetes.

Following this, another blood test is taken after the patient has had his breakfast and a cup of tea or coffee. This time the blood sugar levels should not go above 200 milligrams per deciliter. In case it is above this mark, then the likelihood of diabetes is high. At times the patient is given 75 gram glucose solution to drink. Then the blood sugar levels are checked for monitoring the blood sugar levels as well as the measurement of ketones, which are the products from the breakdown of fats.

Once these tests have been successfully carried out, the patient is prescribed a course of treatment which involves both the physical and emotional aspects of his being, as diabetes is not a malaise of the physical body alone. It is also a disease that affects one's emotions and reactions.

To get more information on diabetes, diabetes basics and diabetes treatment visit

Birth control by injection is an effective alternative used which has its own advantages and disadvantages. The most effective and popular form of this type of contraceptive is Depo-Provera. This injection works in the same way as the hormonal pill Progestogen. It does not contain estrogen.

DMPA, Depo-Provera is an injection of synthetic hormone medroxyprogesterone acetate which is given by health care professional and is injected into the woman's buttocks or the arm muscle. The pregnancy prevention begins after twenty four hours of the injection. This injection prevents the ovaries from releasing eggs. The woman has to take the injection once every twelve weeks. That means this injection can be given every three months and you do not have to take it regularly like the pills.

Advantages:

DMPA is extremely effective as the failure rate within the first year of use is only 0.3%. It is advantageous as it does not produce any side effects as estrogen such as blood clotting. Irregular periods become regular. It also lowers the risk of certain endometrial and ovarian cancers.

Disadvantages:

The injection has the disadvantage that it does not provide protection against sexually transmitted diseases. DMPA can delay the return of fertility if women have used it for a longer period. Problems such as menstrual irregularities, headaches, dizziness, nausea, hair loss, depression and weight gain can continue for about one year after the last injection.

There are some serious risks associated with Depo-Provera such as loss of bone density which could result in osteoporosis. This injection is not recommended for long time use as it causes deficiency of calcium causing osteoporosis. The women who are on this injection are advised to take a lot of calcium. Depo-Provera is especially not recommended for young females as their bones are still growing.

Lunelle

Lunelle, a monthly birth control shot has both synthetic estrogen and progesterone hormones. It can be injected into the arm, thigh or rear. Lunelle prevents eggs from being released from the ovaries. It thickens the cervical mucus and makes it difficult for the sperm to enter the uterus. You do not have to take it regularly as the pill. Although it is 99% effective it does not protect against HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. It is taken within a month. If the shot is given after a month (33 days) then it may not be effective. It is recommended to take the next shot within 28 to 30 days. If you are unable to take the injection within a month then you should use condoms and spermecides.

One of the common side effective of Lunelle is irregular bleeding which could range from no bleeding to heavy bleeding. There are other side effectives such as weight gain, fluid retention, nausea, breast tenderness, headaches, nervousness, mood changes or depression, change in sexual desire, dizziness, rash, or vaginal infections. Lunelle should not be used by women who have high blood pressure, breast or uterine cancer, diabetes, allergies to hormones and women who have history of blood clots.

Find more information visit: Birth Control by Injection

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It makes no difference if you have Type 1 Diabetes or Type 2 Diabetes, exercise will always play a key role in anybody's diabetes management plan.

If you are one who has Type 1 Diabetes, exercise can not only help in controlling your weight, but it can also build muscle and maintain your health. While there is no cure for Type 1 Diabetes yet, regular exercise will help keep it under control.

If you happen to have Type 2 Diabetes, then staying active and getting some exercise is even more important for your body. In fact, exercise may eliminate this form of diabetes entirely.

One of the biggest contributors to being a Type 2 diabetic is your weight. Exercise will keep your weight under control and build your body's insulin system to combat the increased glucose levels. Exercise can help in lowering your blood sugar level and possibly eliminate the diabetes altogether.

So, what are the best forms of exercise for those who have diabetes? Without a doubt, it's walking. Studies have been done for years that prove this out. Just by getting in a 30 minute walk you greatly reduce the risk of getting Type 2 Diabetes.

Walking is something most everyone can do. It requires nothing more than a good pair of tennis shoes and a commitment on your part to stick with it.

One of the side effects in having diabetes is a decrease in blood circulation. Many diabetics lose this circulation in their hands and feet, but with exercise, you can prevent this from happening in most cases.

Other forms of exercise that are beneficial for those with diabetes include biking, low impact aerobics, eliptical machines, swimming and so many others.

There are a few precautions you'll need to take in any kind of exercise program when you're a diabetic. You'll need to keep close tabs on your blood sugar level. Since exercise will lower it, you may find yourself with low blood sugar. This can result in hypoglycemia.

You can avoid any problems like this by simply carrying some candy with you in the even it does occur. If you feel your blood sugar level bottoming out, stop what you're doing and take care of yourself.

A part of every diabetes treatment plan should include exercise. Take a moment and pick out an activity you like and then get started. If you're having a difficult time with it then start a walking routine several times a week. You'll go a long way toward maintaining good health and keeping your diabetes under control.

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You can find out more about Exercise And Diabetes as well as much more information on all types of diabetes issues at

Insulin is a hormone secreted by groups of cells within the pancreas called islet cells. The pancreas is an organ that sits behind the stomach and has many functions in addition to insulin production.

Sugars and carbohydrates are absorbed from the intestines into the bloodstream after a meal. As a result, the blood sugar of the body increases. Insulin is then secreted by the pancreas in response to the increase in blood sugar.

Cells get the energy to carry out their functions from glucose and fatty acids. Insulin is required by the cells of the body in order for them to remove and use glucose from the blood. Insulin transports fatty acids and glucose through the cell wall.

Type 1 diabetics cannot make insulin in their bodies and require insulin shots to stay healthy. Type 2 diabetes can result from genetics defects that cause both insulin resistance and insulin deficiency. In type II diabetes, the beta cells produce insulin, but cells throughout the body do not respond normally to it.

Insulin hormone cannot be taken orally as a pill because it is a protein that can easily be broken down. Once it is rapidly digested, it is no longer effective. Hence, insulin has to be injected in the form of shots so that it enters your blood slowly and remains there longer.

Long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) require insulin to get through the cell wall but medium chain fatty acids (MCFAs) can penetrate the cell walls without the help of insulin. Thus, MCFAs are a good source of nutrition for diabetics to get their cells working and to reduce their dependence on insulin shots.

Coconut oil and palm kernel oils are the best natural source of MCFAs. Coconut oil improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose. Coconuts and coconut oil have a lower potassium / higher sodium ratio, which helps sustain higher blood sugar levels.

Protect your immune system and nourish your health with virgin coconut oil, Go to:

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Diabetes is a common chronic disease that could possibly lead to heart disease, if it is not appropriately controlled. When one passes the age of 40 and has any or the entire list of the following risk factors:

- High blood pressure,

- High lipid levels (the excess fatty substances in the body, such as cholesterol),

- A family history of diabetes,

- Diabetes during pregnancy.

Plus, you are overweight. Despite not feeling anything wrong, you are probably at risk of developing diabetes.

But, it is possible to prevent diabetes. Several published prospective trials already showed that high-risk subjects with no diabetes who are put on an intensive lifestyle program and the medication can still prevent the fresh onset of diabetes.

While we are still unsure about the long-term effects of newer drugs used in diabetic treatment, lifestyle intervention should be the main therapy for those at high risk. This is simply because it has no side effects, and in the long term, it is safe.

Regular visits to health-care establishments for screening for diabetes is very important as diabetes is not only a silent condition, many complications with diabetes are also silent. In the pre-diabetes stage, there is no way of knowing whether there is anything wrong.

Not only people who are overweight are at risk, a thin or healthy-weight person can also be a victim. A 69-year-old lady with 1.58 m weighs only 50 kg who is definitely not fat at all. She gained 5 kg during the past 2 years. She started feeling tired a year ago during her daily exercise at 4 am. Apart from the tiredness and weight gain, her HbA1c was 6.5, which is outside the ideal range between 4.5 and 6.4. The HbA1c test measures the average amount of glucose in the blood. HbA1c is formed when glucose in the bloodstream binds to the hemoglobin found in red blood cells.

She was shocked because she is very discipline: exercise daily and watch her diet. It is possible that diabetes run in her family as her mother had diabetes and died of stroke and kidney failure. The doctor did not put her on medication but she was told to work on her diet, to continue exercising, and most importantly go for regular review. Six months later, her Hb1Ac level was reduced from 6.5 to 6.2. According to experts, 1 percent reduction in HbA1c can in fact lower the risk of diabetes complications, such as damage to the cardiovascular system, the kidney, and the eye.

As we age, our weight goes up and risk for various diseases also rises. It is easier to prevent than to reverse the process of obesity and all that comes with it.

America's Most Trusted Doctor Reveals ... How to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease - Without Drugs or Surgery. Read more about his confession at: Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included.

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I knew I had to make some changes to take care of my high blood sugar. What my doctor and I wanted to do were two different things. His path was conventional. Take some drugs to lower the blood sugar. I thought differently. I wanted to reduce my sugar in a natural way. Getting to the source of the problem made more sense to me.

So I went to health food stores, and searched on the internet for the answers to my concerns. I began to use Fenugreek, Gymnema Sylvestre and Stable Sugar. All natural products designed to decrease the blood sugar in my body.

By March of 2006 I had decreased my blood sugar level from 325 to 306. I was moving in the right direction, but at too slow a pace. I had to find something better. My blood sugar level was still very high. So I searched some more.

In May of 2006 I contacted my friend Matt Z. He is the co founder of a natural herbs distribution company. After researching the company, and other companies I decided to try a product that consisted of over 250 Chinese herbs. After drinking 4 bottles (in 4 days) I went back to the doctor to test my blood. The level was 201. This was in July of 2006.

Beside the blood sugar decrease, I had more energy, my complexion looked better, and the bottoms of my feet were smoother. Moving ahead made me feel real good.

I then did some more research and found out that many other people benefited from using this product and other products from Matt's company.

And here is the rest of the story.

On September 15, 2006 I tested my blood sugar level again. From the time I took the 4 bottles of these Chinese herbs to September 15 I had not taken any more. Would my blood sugar level go up? Does this product have staying power? I was tense anticipating the outcome. I did not want to have to depend on this product (or any product) forever. My test results from September 15, 2006 showed 201 on the meter. I thought there might be an error so I retested - 201 again. That made my day and week. I was elated.

I decided to take two more bottler because my blood sugar level was still too high. My level dropped again to 160. Recapping my experience indicated that I was moving in the right direction, 306 down to 160 taking six bottles of this liquid has made a huge impact in my life. I do not live in fear of being rushed to the hospital with some kind of ailment produced by very high sugar.

From November 30, to December 2nd of 2006 I used another three bottles of the Chinese herbs. My level December 4, 2006 went to 130. I am astonished that in a five month period, I was able to lower my blood sugar from 306 to 130. I know it sounds crazy. Taking nine bottles in nine days over a five month time frame and reducing my number 176 points is amazing. So I am amazed and feeling better.

I am very thankful that I had something to use instead of being married to some drug to maintain a sense of normalcy regarding my blood sugar for the rest of my life.

As I write this I feel so relieved because I found something that works so easy, painlessly and effectively.

Aron Wallad created better health in his life using natural herbs...

He has dramatically decreased his blood sugar level by more than 50% using a 47 year old remedy that consists of over 250 natural herbs. He also stopped smoking cigarettes using Chinese herbs 12 years ago. You can do the same. See for yourself.

Go here right now to check out some herbs and remedies including the herb that helped with diabetes

Diabetes you should not take away the joy of feeling like a mother, and giving birth to a beautiful healthy baby. Although having diabetes and being pregnant are two conditions that should be taken seriously and managed very carefully, if you follow the needed health guidelines, your condition will not get in the way of your baby. The key: Diabetes Control.

Diabetes control is the most important factor for the well being of you and your baby. Women that do not keep their blood glucose levels under control throughout their pregnancy greatly increase their risks for birth defects. In the early stages of the pregnancy, when the baby's organs are still forming, high blood glucose levels can damage them. The baby can also receive extra sugar which will cause excessive growth. This can cause serious health issues for the baby and major risks for both mommy and baby during delivery.

Because high blood glucose levels are so dangerous for pregnancy, women with diabetes should start planning ahead before even getting pregnant, at least three months before. During this period, you must make sure your sugar levels are under control and staying within the target range.

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Having a skilled health care team will help you a lot during your pregnancy. They will monitor the baby's development, your glucose levels, your diet and exercise routine. The ADA recommends that you have the following professional in your team: a diabetes specialist, an obstetrician, a pediatrician, a dietitian and a diabetes educator.

If you have type 1 diabetes, your insulin dosage will increase during pregnancy, as your body will produce hormones that will have an adverse effect on the little insulin that your pancreas is producing. If you have type 2 diabetes and you are taking oral medications, your doctor might have you switch to insulin treatment as the safety of oral medications is not fully known for the mother or the baby when taken during the full term of the pregnancy.

When it comes to delivery, having diabetes will increase the risk of having a Caesarean birth. Although the risk is higher, a healthy vaginal birth is not out of the question. Your doctor will monitor your glucose levels closely during delivery and after giving birth. The baby will also be closely monitored after birth to make sure that other serious complications are avoided.

It is important to remember that planning and having tight control of your blood sugar levels is extremely important when it comes to having a healthy pregnancy. Following a healthy diet and a good exercise routine as recommended by your health care professional is also very important.

Yes, diabetes does make pregnancy more difficult, challenging and even riskier. But if you take care of yourself and follow the needed steps to minimize your risks, you will most likely enjoy your pregnancy and deliver a happy, healthy baby that will fill your life with joy.

Jesus Chirino is webmaster of Your Life with Diabetes, a website dedicated to providing free diabetes information and resources.

Olive Leaf tea is an ancient brew most popular for it's anti-viral, anti-bacterial and cardiovascular benefits. Tea made from the leaves of organically grown Mission and Manzanillo olive trees is caffeine-free and is also gaining awareness for it's unique flavor. Olive leaf has been brewed as a tea for over 5,000 years across the Mediterranean and has been the focus of scientific research in recent decades.

History of Olive Leaf tea

Olive trees are native to the Mediterranean countries of Greece, Turkey, Italy, Spain and often cultivated in Croatia. The olive tree was introduced to California in the 1800's primarily for it's oil and fruit. The olive tree is an evergreen botanical known as olea europea.

The olive tree and it's leaves are attributed in mythology to the goddess Athena for whom the capital of Greece, Athens, is named. The olive tree has the distinction of being the first botanical mentioned in the Bible and is know as the "Tree of Life."

Health Benefits of Olive Leaf Tea

The health benefits of olive leaf is related to the oleuropein and related antioxidants plus polyphenols contained in it. Oleuropein is a natural wide-spectrum antibiotic, anti-bacterial, anti-viral, anti-fungal compound. Unlike synthetic antibiotics, it destroys only the bad bacteria and protects the good. Medical research suggests that when Oleuropein is taken orally, it searches out and "inactivates" the bacteria. It does this by dissolving the outer lining of the infectious germs and then it penetrates the infected cells, thus inhibiting their replication. If a person's immune system is overburdened fighting a war against an influx of infectious germs, the immune system becomes weak and the body is more susceptible to sickness. When Oleuropein (olive leaf) is taken orally, two natural enzemes in the body, esteraize and beta-glucosidase, convert the Oleuropein to elolenic acid. Elolenic acid derived from this source helps strengthen the immune system. Olive leaf is commonly used to combat colds, flu, viruses, bacteria's, shingles and to increase energy. Olive leaf has also been shown to lower blood pressure, lower blood sugar and cholesterol.

Some of the conditions olive leaf is used to treat

Low Energy, Viruses, Chlamydia. Herpes, Cold Sores, Shingles, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS), Cold & Flu Buster, Strep Throat (Streptococcus), Yeast Infections, Fungal Infections, Digestive Aid, lower blood pressure/sugar. Arteriolosclerosis, Arthritis, Diabetes, Lower Blood Pressure, Lower Cholesterol, Arrhythmia, Respiratory Response and others. Soaps with olive leaf in them are used to fight acne & shingles to help keep skin healthy and supple.

Olive Leaf Unique Flavor

Olive leaf tea is unique and tastes like nothing else. A light steeping delivers a satisfying mellow flavor. Longer steeping or brewing in a tea press creates a stronger, slightly bitter infusion than can be mellowed with a slice of fresh lemon, stevia, soy, milk, sugar and other herbal flavorings. Olive leaf also blends well with Green and other teas/herbs. To prepare olive leaf tea place one large teaspoon (approx. 10g) in a tea ball or herb sack. Drop into two quarts boiling water, immediately reduce heat to a medium simmer and let tea brew in covered pot for three to ten minutes. Stir tea occasionally, strain to drink and/or refrigerate. Tea should be a medium amber color. To combat a specific ailment, sip refrigerated or re-heated tea and consume entire two quarts over a two day period. Olive leaf can also be taken in powder, liquid extract or capsule form.

Natural olive leaf verses extract

It has been found that it is not only the Oleuropein in olive leaf that provides the health benefit. There are a wide range of nutrients and healing properties in the natural leaf that is not present in processed olive leaf extract with standardized oleuropein available on the market today. In addition the unique flavor reward of olive leaf tea is lost when taking pharmaceutically processed olive leaf. © 2006 Valerie West

Organically grown and naturally processed olive leaf is best for flavor and medicinal purposes. One company, Olivus, grows and supplies natural olive leaf from Mission and Manzanillo olive trees with the full range of compounds and properties including oleuropein.

Jerry Mathers, former star of the popular 1950s and '60s TV show "Leave It To Beaver," was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 1996. At the time, Mathers was operating a catering service, and the combination of no exercise and being around food all day contributed to his gaining about 40 pounds.

Mathers had no warning signs of diabetes. But because of his weight gain, his physician urged him to have a fasting blood-sugar test, which confirmed he had type 2 diabetes. At the time of his diagnosis, the range of Mathers' day-to-day blood-sugar test results ran from 350 to as high as 500 mg/dL. (The American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes keep their blood-sugar between 90 and 130 mg/dL before meals and less than 180 mg/dL after meals.)

Despite his high blood-glucose levels, Mathers did not take his diagnosis seriously at first. His wake up call, however, came when his doctor asked him if he wanted to be around to see his kids graduate from college and get married. When she followed with the warning that-if he didn't get his diabetes under control-he could be dead in three to five years or at risk for serious complications, Mathers realized he needed to do something to manage his blood-sugar levels.

Mathers' story is a familiar one. Two-thirds of the more than 13 million Americans diagnosed with type 2 diabetes have blood-sugar levels that are out of control.

But even though people with diabetes may be aware of the risks of uncontrolled blood-sugar levels-many can feel overwhelmed and discouraged by the daily requirements of diabetes management, which can lead them to give up on testing their blood sugar. In fact, each year, 25 percent of those who were new to testing the year before, abandon blood-sugar testing altogether-possibly because they find it too complicated.

To help such patients overcome this barrier of complexity, some companies are developing simpler products, like the new OneTouch® UltraMini™ Blood Glucose Monitoring System, which just provides patients an accurate test result in 5 seconds.

"When I was first diagnosed with diabetes about ten years ago, I would have definitely appreciated a meter that's as easy to use as the OneTouch UltraMini," stated Jerry Mathers. "Like me, some people are not electronics whizzes and they prefer simple devices that do only one thing. This meter has an easy-to-read screen that just gives you an accurate blood-sugar test result in 5 seconds-plain and simple."

The meter, available in pharmacies, also comes complete with "Simple Start DIABETES + FOOD," a patient-friendly booklet which explains the basics of diabetes, carbohydrate management, portion control and more.

Today, Mathers reports that his diabetes is under excellent control. He also urges others with diabetes to look ahead to the future by testing and controlling their blood-sugar levels now in order to reduce their risk for serious diabetes complications in the future.

For more information, visit www.OneTouchUltraM

A new blood-glucose meter can help simplify testing for people with diabetes, like actor Jerry Mathers.

An estimated 20.8 million Americans have diabetes, although nearly one-third of them are unaware that they have the disease. To help, the Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) is launching a campaign to improve diabetes awareness and provide patients with valuable information about the disease, how it can be treated and the 56 new drugs now being developed to help treat the disorder by America's pharmaceutical research companies.

Diabetes Overview

Diabetes is a serious metabolic disorder in which the body cannot break down glucose and use it for growth and energy. There are three types of diabetes:

• Type 1 diabetes develops when the body can no longer make the hormone insulin;

• Type 2 diabetes develops when the cells in the body no longer use insulin properly. Ninety to 95 percent of people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes, which typically develops in older, overweight adults. Although it affects all races, type 2 diabetes is more common among African Americans, Latinos, Native Americans, Asian Americans/Pacific Islanders and senior populations; and

• Gestational diabetes develops in some women while they are pregnant.

Diabetes costs the United States an estimated $132 billion a year, according to the American Diabetes Association. Direct medical costs for diabetes care were responsible for $92 billion. Indirect costs, including disability payments, time lost from work and premature death, cost the United States $40 billion.

Progress In Treatment

During the past decade, research breakthroughs have led to the approval of three new insulin products to treat type 1 and advanced type 2 diabetes. And beginning in 1995, a string of additional treatment advances has allowed people with type 2 diabetes to more effectively manage their condition.

A new PhRMA report shows the drugs that are currently in development include:

• A medicine that decreases elevated glucose;

• Inhaled forms of insulin that do not require injections, including a form that is inhaled through the nose; and

• An oral medicine that affects the quantity of glucose reabsorbed by the kidneys.

Because these medications have different mechanisms of action and different side effects, combination therapy can prevent patients from becoming hypoglycemic (having blood sugar levels that are too low) or experiencing serious complications such as kidney problems.

To learn more about treatments currently in development, visit the PhRMA Web site at

New drugs in development may help people with diabetes better manage their disease.

In the United States, nearly 21 million children and adults have diabetes. If present trends continue, it is estimated that one in three Americans--and one in two minorities--born in 2000 will develop diabetes in their lifetime.

To help combat the growing problem of diabetes in the United States, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) has developed a new initiative: I Decide to Fight Diabetes. This campaign is an opportunity to support the mission of ADA-to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. The new initiative will offer people a unique way to validate and visibly display their commitment to fight diabetes, while bringing the world closer to finding a cure.

"As diabetes continues to climb at alarming rates, the number of people affected is astonishing," said Larry C. Deeb, M.D., president, medicine & science, American Diabetes Association. "So many people share the American Diabetes Association's passion for finding a cure and improving the lives of all people affected by diabetes--whether they are at risk for developing diabetes, have been diagnosed with the disease, are a caregiver for someone with diabetes or simply appreciate the urgency to stem the tide of diabetes. I Decide to Fight Diabetes is a rallying cry to stand for something more-more than the deteriorating health status of our citizens."

With the launch of I Decide to Fight Diabetes, individuals are encouraged to consider the impact that diabetes has on their lives and the lives of loved ones.

A new campaign gives people the opportunity to show their support in the fight against diabetes.The signature item of the campaign is a new "I Decide" charm that can be worn on a keychain, necklace or bracelet.

The I Decide to Fight Diabetes campaign (www.diabetes.org/IDecide) encourages people to become champions in the cause against diabetes and demonstrate their commitment to promote healthier lifestyle behaviors that will help them manage and control type 1 diabetes, and prevent and control type 2 diabetes in themselves and their loved ones.

For more information and to join the fight, visit or call (877) ADA-ID26 to order the "I Decide" charm.

With almost 21 million Americans suffering from diabetes, the disease is fast becoming the country's next epidemic. While nearly two-thirds of the children and adults with diabetes have been diagnosed, unfortunately, an estimated 6.2 million people are unaware that they have the disease. Diabetes can lead to serious consequences and premature death, but patients with diabetes can take action to control the disease and lower the risk of complications.

Once diagnosed, one of the biggest challenges is making sure patients check their glucose (blood-sugar) levels. If patients with diabetes allow their levels to rise and fall without control, it can lead to severe consequences. Good diabetes control can reduce the likelihood of certain long-term complications, including blindness, kidney failure, amputation, impotence and heart disease.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved the Guardian® REAL-Time System, a doctor-prescribed continuous glucose-monitoring (CGM) system. Unique features only available with the Guardian REAL-Time System include alarm systems designed to warn patients of significant blood-sugar changes before they become dangerous.

"The real-time information and trend data provided by the Guardian REAL-Time System are designed to help patients more tightly control their glucose levels," said Alan Marcus, M.D., FACP, FACE, global director of medical affairs and chief officer of Medtronic Diabetes. "Patients can now see the exact effect that diet, exercise, medication and sleep have on their glucose values in three-, six-, 12- and 24-hour increments."

The Guardian REAL-Time System glucose sensor is a tiny electrode inserted under the skin that measures glucose levels, providing patients with better protection against frequent blood-sugar highs and lows.

Developed by Minneapolis-based medical technology company Medtronic, Inc., the Guardian REAL-Time System is indicated for continuous or periodic monitoring of glucose levels of adults (ages 18 and older) with diabetes for the purposes of improving diabetes management. The Guardian REAL-Time System sensor is connected to a transmitter that sends glucose readings every five minutes to a monitor, which displays up to 288 readings a day-nearly 100 times more information than conventional monitoring based on three fingersticks a day. The Guardian REAL-Time System will be made available nationwide by Spring 2007.

While insulin pump therapy is currently prescribed for the Type 1 diabetes population, the Guardian REAL-Time System may be more in demand by the larger Type 2 population, which consists of 90 to 95 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes worldwide.

Patients and physicians can obtain more information by visiting or calling (800) MINIMED (800-646-4633), and dialing option three when prompted.

The Guardian REAL-Time System glucose sensor is a tiny electrode inserted under the skin that measures glucose levels, providing patients with better protection against frequent blood-sugar highs and lows.

You can prevent diabetes with just a few simple steps. Researchers say that people at risk for type 2 diabetes can reduce their risk by making just a few small lifestyle changes.

More than 54 million Americans are on their way to developing diabetes-and many don't even know it. They have a condition called prediabetes, which means their blood glucose levels are higher than normal, but not yet high enough to be diabetic.

"There is now scientific proof that they can prevent or delay the disease and its devastating complications," says Wilma Wooten, M.D., MPH, principal investigator for the National Medical Association's (NMA) Diabetes Project.

The key to diabetes prevention is taking small steps toward living a healthier life, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' National Diabetes Education Program (NDEP), which is jointly sponsored by National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and has the support of more than 200 partner organizations, including the NMA.

A landmark study sponsored by the NIH found that people at increased risk for diabetes can prevent or delay the onset of the disease by losing 5 to 7 percent of their body weight through increased physical activity and a low-fat, low-calorie eating plan.

If you are over 45 and overweight, you are at increased risk for prediabetes.

NDEP and the NMA recommend these five small steps you can take today to live a healthier life and prevent or delay diabetes:

• Find out if you are at risk. Talk to your health care provider at your next visit.

• Set realistic goals and start by making small changes. For example, try to get 15 minutes of physical activity a day this week. Each week, add five minutes until you build up to the recommended 30 minutes a day, five days a week.

• Try to eat more fruits and vegetables, beans and grains. Reduce the amount of fat in your diet. Choose grilled or baked foods instead of fried.

• Keeping a food diary is one of the most effective ways to lose weight and keep it off. Review this diary with your health care provider.

• Making even modest lifestyle changes can be tough in the beginning. Try adding one new healthy change a week. Always get back on track, even if you fall off a few times. The key is just to keep at it. If you have prediabetes, the NDEP has information to help you.

To learn more, visit

To get a free copy of "Small Steps. Big Rewards. Your Game Plan for Preventing Type 2 Diabetes," call (800) 438-5383 or visit

The most important way to prevent diabetes is to take action toward living a healthier life.

The increase in the number of people in the U.S. with diabetes is also raising concern about a condition that is linked to diabetes but often goes undetected.

The condition is peripheral arterial disease, or P.A.D. It occurs when blood vessels in the legs are narrowed or blocked by fatty deposits, decreasing blood flow to legs and feet.

Experts say people with P.A.D. are at increased risk for heart attack and stroke, and people with diabetes are at increased risk for P.A.D.

According to one study, it's estimated that 30 percent of people with diabetes will develop P.A.D. Unfortunately, P.A.D. is often not diagnosed in a timely fashion. One reason is that the symptoms--such as fatigue and heaviness of the legs when walking--are often falsely attributed to aging. Left untreated, P.A.D. can lead to a greater risk of amputation, stroke or heart attack.

The Vascular Disease Foundation (VDF) is the only nonprofit organization focused on vascular diseases with the sole purpose of providing public education and improving awareness about vascular diseases. It recommends that all persons with diabetes over the age of 50 get screened for P.A.D. using a test known as the Ankle Brachial Index, or ABI.

The test compares the blood pressure in a person's ankle to the blood pressure reading taken from the person's arm. If the reading from your leg is lower than the one taken from your arm, it may be a sign that you have P.A.D.

Fortunately, there are steps physicians and patients can take to manage P.A.D. According to VDF's president, Alain T. Drooz, M.D., those with diabetes who suspect they may have P.A.D. should do the following:

• Keep their blood sugar level in an acceptable range.

• If they smoke, they should stop. If they can't stop on their own, they should ask their health care provider for assistance.

• Work to get their blood pressure below 130/80.

• Get their LDL (bad) cholesterol below 100 mg/dL.

• Talk to their health care provider about taking aspirin or other anti-platelet medicines.

• Studies have also shown that exercise, such as walking, can be used to treat P.A.D. and, in some cases, prevent it.

VDF supports the P.A.D. Coalition and the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute's national campaign "Stay in Circulation: Take Steps to Learn About P.A.D." To learn more, call 1-866-PAD-INFO or visit

Experts say people with P.A.D. are at increased risk for heart attack and stroke and people with diabetes are at increased risk for P.A.D.

On Tuesday (December 5, 2006), New York has become the first city in United States to ban artery-clogging artificial trans fats at restaurants, as voted by New York's Health Board. Restaurants must stop using most frying oils containing artificial trans fats by July and artificial trans fats must be eliminated from all restaurants foods by July 2008. It is expected that more and more cities in United States and around the world will follow suit. Gradually, trans fats will be eliminated from virtually all edible foods.

In 1950s and 1960s, trans fat was hailed as a healthy replacement for saturated fat in butter and animal fat. It was also used because of its ability to extend shelf life for products. 30 years later, why it is now crowned as a bad stuff that could shorten life for those who eat it?

This artificial fat, also known as hydrogenated vegetable oil or vegetable shortening, is now being accused as the culprit for raising the risk of heart disease and other health problems. Why?

The reason is fairly simple. Research has found that trans fats increases levels of LDL or bad cholesterol and at the same time decreases levels of HDL or good cholesterol. It clogs the arteries of the heart, making them more rigid. It can also increase insulin resistance, thus increasing your chances of developing Type 2 diabetes.

The top nutritionists at Harvard University have in fact estimated that by just replacing partially hydrogenated fat in the diet with natural un-hydrogenated vegetable oils would prevent about 30,000 premature coronary deaths per year in the United States.

Based on the evidences and findings from numerous researches, United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had passed a law in 2003 requiring manufacturers of food and some dietary supplements to list trans fat on a separate line, and became effective from January this year.

While consumers starting to pressure food manufacturers and health authorities for stricter guidelines, food manufacturers are striving their every effort to find replacements for trans fats. Saturated fats such as palm and coconut oils that were once said to be artery-clogging fats are the most likely alternatives. Though they are also not exactly healthy, they are far less harmful to the body than trans fat. This is because they raise both good and bad cholesterol levels, as compared with trans fat which raises bad cholesterol and reduce good cholesterol levels.

As we know, the best way to stay healthy is to eat fresh and unprocessed foods. Unfortunately, due to various reasons, many of us are still heavily dependent on convenience foods that are displayed and sold in stores. It is good to hear that trans fats that are bad for our health will slowly be eliminated from the system.

America's Most Trusted Doctor Reveals ... How to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease - Without Drugs or Surgery. Read more about his confession at: Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included.

Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to:

Under normal circumstances, we would think that only adults, especially elderly, will have narrowing and hardening of arteries. But, the findings of a study presented at the annual American Heart Association in Chicago last month (Nov 2006) will probably change our views.

A group of researchers in Canada, Finland, Australia, the United States, Norway, Italy, and Netherlands found that children with risk factors for heart disease, including high cholesterol and diabetes, are now showing signs of heart disease, including hardened of blood vessels and arterial wall thickness. The report revealed that in 12 of the 15 studies examined, children with risk factors were more likely to have increased thickness in the arterial walls, which could lead to heart attacks in adulthood. The risk factors include familial hypercholesterolemia where children whose defective genes causes high cholesterol levels in them, diabetes, obesity, and genetic factors.

Some experts and doctors felt that the finding is probably not new as previous postmortem studies of young United States soldiers who died in the Korean War had shown atherosclerotic changes in their arteries. The process must have begun much earlier on in their life. It is evident that deposits of plaque containing cholesterol and lipids takes years to build up and risk factors in childhood hasten the process.

There is indication that the number of young people who died suddenly has been on the rise. While the risk of atherosclerosis or the hardening of arteries can certainly carry over from childhood to adulthood, it is still no concrete evidence to link these sudden deaths of young people with childhood atherosclerosis unless their postmortem findings are made known.

Although there is an increasing number of children suffer from these and other risk factors for cardiovascular disease, testing for future heart conditions is still not standard practice. Currently, there is also no need to routinely screen lipid levels in all children.

If the lipid levels are normal, no specific treatment is needed. Nevertheless, maintaining healthy lifestyle is very important. This includes attention paid to healthy diet, regular exercise, and good weight management.

Selectively those with diabetes and those at risk are screened and statins have been used to treat children with familial hypercholesterolemia. Statins are drugs that lower bad cholesterol levels by limiting the amount of cholesterol the body can make.

America's Most Trusted Doctor Reveals ... How to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease - Without Drugs or Surgery. Read more about his confession at: Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included.

Heart Disease Prevention - 8 Simple Ways You Can Do Immediately, Go to:

It's no secret that our bodies change as we age. Some changes are obvious, while others are more subtle. Many people age comfortably and remain active, alert and vibrant while others experience the effects of degenerative diseases and lose their ability to fully participate in life. Here are ten reasons why all seniors should participate in regular physical activity:

1)Regular exercise can prolong your life.

2)Exercise strengthens your heart and protects against heart disease.

3)Exercise decreases bone loss associated with aging.

4)Exercise reduces the the effects of chronic diseases like diabetes.

5)Exercise enhances self-esteem.

6)Exercise increases strength and flexibility which are necessary to perform daily functional activities.

7)Exercise helps reduce depression and anxiety which are common amongst the aged.

8)Exercise increases cognition and memory.

9)Exercise increases overall energy levels.

10)Exercise increases metabolism and helps lower body fat

And the list of benefits goes on. The good news is that exercise doesn't have to be strenuous to be effective. The key for seniors is to just get out and move!

Dr. Lanny Schaffer is an Exercise Physiologist and the President of The International Fitness Academy. For more cutting edge fitness information go to

Improper nutrition does contribute to the development of diabetes, but proper nutrition can be a powerful treatment for this disease. (1) This disease is so closely related to diet and nutrition; scientists have studied how nutritional supplements can effectively treat diabetes. In researching vitamin supplements, researchers have found that many vitamins and herbs can effectively help lower blood sugar. Some of these supplements are vitamin C, B vitamins, minerals like chromium and vanadyl sulfate, and herbs like Gymnema Sylvestre can all help lower blood sugar. If one combines these supplements together, they can synergistically work together to lower blood sugar. First let's look at what diabetes is and then we can discuss how these supplements work.

The foods we eat are digested and broken down into simpler forms; most carbohydrates are broken down into sugar also known as glucose. These sugars are absorbed through the intestinal tract into the bloodstream where it is circulated through out the body to feed cells.

Insulin is a hormone released by the pancreas. The pancreas is a long skinny organ that sits behind the stomach adding enzymes into the digested food. Insulin helps deliver nutrients and sugar from the bloodstream into cells where it is needed. The sugar supplies energy to various organs such as the heart and lungs; for example the heart beats and lungs breathe which keep us alive as a result of sugar's energy supply. (2,3)

There are two classes of diabetes type I and type II. Type I diabetes is sometimes called insulin dependent, juvenile or child onset diabetes. This type usually starts at a very early age and the pancreas stops producing insulin. When the body does not make insulin, the sugar stays in the bloodstream instead of going into the cells where it's needed. This can be fatal, so a person with type I diabetes needs a shot of insulin every day for his/her body to function properly (to stay alive).

Type II diabetes usually starts in adults and is the most common kind of diabetes in America. Most people who have diabetes have type II, that's about 90% -95% of all diabetics in America. In this type of diabetes, the pancreas is producing enough insulin but the body doesn't use the insulin effectively. This is called insulin resistance, cells in the body do not respond to the insulin and so the pancreas produces more and more insulin to over compensate this resistance. When blood sugar starts to raise in the bloodstream in this manner, the medical doctor (MD) will diagnose type II diabetes. Most type II diabetics need a prescription drug to lower the blood sugar because a diet change isn't enough to control their blood sugar problem. (4)

In both cases, the blood sugar is too high in the bloodstream and will cause several problems. The first problem is cells cannot absorb sugar for energy; they starve and start to die. Secondly an excess amount of sugar in the blood leads to cardiovascular disease, hardening of the arteries, nerve and eye damage, and kidney damage.

Scientists are not exactly sure what causes type I diabetes, but they do know it has something to do with the immune system. A healthy immune system protects us from the common cold and cancer cells (cells in the body that go bad). The immune system can becomes confused and starts attacking good cells, in some cases, the healthy cells in the pancreas that produce insulin, which causes diabetes. (4)

Type II diabetes has been linked to individuals who are overweight. These overweight individuals have high blood pressure and high cholesterol as well which may also lead to this form of diabetes. Being overweight causes the body to become insulin resistant and by dropping some excess weight one could possibly reverse type II diabetes (rare).

If you think you have diabetes, you should look for the following symptoms. Type I diabetics usually have frequent urination because of the high blood sugar; the kidneys are trying to balance the body's bloodstream. The kidneys are forced to eliminate all the unused nutrients and sugar in the blood over working the kidneys and if left unchecked can lead to kidney damage. If you experience intense thirst, your body is trying to replace the liquids lost from frequent urination. You may experience increased hunger but you will not gain weight when you do eat more. This is because your body's cells need more nutrients, but since these cells can not absorb the insulin and nutrients the body starves.

With type II diabetes you might not notice any symptoms. Type II diabetes usually happens very gradually and the person doesn't know about it till diabetic complications occur, then it's too late. (3,4)

All diabetic complications are caused from high blood sugar. The longer the blood sugar goes unchecked the greater your chances of having complications. High blood sugar causes cardiovascular disease. The blood vessels begin to thicken from excess fat in the bloodstream because high blood sugar elevates the fat circulating in the blood. When the vessels thicken circulation becomes poor and with poor circulation your ability to heal is impaired. Heart attack, heart pain, and stroke are common in diabetics because of poor circulation and blocked arteries form all the fat buildup in the blood vessels.

Nerve damage is another complication of diabetes. Diabetics may notice numbness in their arms and legs because of nerve damage caused from high blood sugar. These nerves can not send signals to the brain relaying pain and touching sensations. Most diabetics will notice numbness in the feet and lower legs before other parts of the body are effected. (3,4)

The next complication is eye damage. A more sever complication because going blind is not pleasant for anyone. The eye has very small delicate vessels in the retina, these vessels help you see when light shines upon them in the eye. When blood vessels are weakened, they can hemorrhage and leak fluid into the eye. This causes swelling and blurs the vision. There is a clear gel in the eye keeping it solid and round, if blood leaks into this gel, your vision can become blurred or completely impaired. As the eye continues to get damaged, the eye will attempt to repair itself by growing new vessels. These new vessels are fragile and can burst. Scar tissue can form and cause the retina to pull away from the eye, worst case causing blindness. (3,4)

Blood vessels network throughout the entire body. Your kidneys are made up of vessels and can become damaged as well. If the vessels in the kidneys become impaired, waste cannot be eliminated from the body and a form of treatment called dialysis might be required. If blood sugar is not kept under control, damage to the kidneys will continue to the point where a transplant might be needed or daily dialysis is required to remove waste from the bloodstream. The good news is practically all of the complications that occur with diabetes can be prevented when the right care is taken.

With proper diet and nutrition one can successfully prevent diabetic complications. Along with diet and nutrition, vitamins, minerals and herbs can also help lower blood sugar and reduce the complications that may occur. The best kind of supplement is one that combines vitamins and herbs together so that they work together synergistically to effectively lower blood sugar. You might be wondering what vitamins, minerals and herbs are good for blood sugar, your in luck here is a list:

Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin B-6, Folic Acid, Vitamin B-12, Biotin, Magnesium, Zinc, Selenium, Copper, Manganese, Chromium, Gymnema Sylvestre, Bitter melon, Fenugreek seed extract, Bilberry berry extract, Bioflavonoids, and Vanadyl Sulfate. Make sure most of these ingredients are in the formula you buy. The frequency at which you take these supplements should be listed on the bottle you buy as well. As a rule of thumb they should be taken at least twice a day. Do not stop taking your normal multiple vitamin supplement; diabetic formulas are a complement to what you currently take not a replacement.

Vitamin C (ascorbic Acid) – keeps diabetics blood vessels and kidneys healthy. Vitamin C works with vitamin E to get sugar out of the blood stream and into the cells.

Vitamin E (Natural Tocopherols) – helps prevent nerve damage, helps prevent kidney damage, blindness, and heart attack. Vitamin E works with the B vitamins to help keep the pancreas healthy.

Vitamin B-6 (pyridoxine HCL) – works with folic acid to help prevent nerve damage and heart attack.

Folic Acid – works with B-12 to help prevent stroke and the loss of limbs due to diabetic complications.

Vitamin B-12 (cyanocobalamin) – works with B-6 and folic acid to help relieve neuropathic pain.

Biotin – helps insulin work better and helps keep the pancreas working well to lower blood sugar.

Magnesium (Krebs Cycle Chelate) – helps insulin work more effectively and relieves neuropathic pain.

Zinc (picolinate, chelate) – helps insulin work better and helps shuttle blood sugar into cells.

Selenium (aspartate) – helps prevent nerve damage and protects blood vessels against elevated blood sugar. Selenium mimics insulin helping blood sugar into the cells.

Copper (picolinate) – helps protect the cells that produce insulin in the pancreas. Also, copper helps prevent diabetes-related damage to blood vessels and nerves, and lowers blood sugar levels.

Manganese – helps prevent damage to nerves and blood vessels.

Chromium (picolinate) – works with biotin to help bring down blood sugar and keeps the pancreas working well.

Gymnema Sylvestre leaf extract – helps balance blood sugar and may protect us from gaining weight.

Bitter melon whole fruit extract – helps pathways in the liver work more efficiently; lowers blood sugar levels.

Fenugreek seed extract – helps our kidneys and liver metabolize blood sugar more efficiently.

Bilberry berry extract – helps reduce the severity of diabetic cataracts.

Mixed bioflavonoids – helps protect vitamin C and E from becoming damaged. Helps clear and sharpen vision in diabetics.

Vanadyl sulfate – helps muscle and liver cells use insulin more effectively.

These supplements will not lower your blood sugar too much, but help bring them down to a more normal level. Diabetes is a disease that needs to be monitored daily several times throughout the day. When you start taking a diabetic supplement to help equalize your blood sugar, monitor your sugar levels more often at first so you can get a feel for where you sugar levels come down to before taking more insulin. A normal range of blood sugar for diabetics before a meal is 70 – 150 (1,2,5) and ideally 70 – 120.

The diabetic formula you may take for lowering blood sugar is by no means a license to eat any way you want. You still need to eat healthy and see your health practitioner on a regular basis. Diabetes might make you feel overwhelmed, especially if you have recently been diagnosed with it. With proper exercise, diet, and vitamin supplements you can be well on your way to a lower more manageable blood sugar level, and live a longer healthier life.

References:

1. American Diabetes Association. In the news. Available at: Accessed on December 10, 2001.

2. Guven S, Kuenzi J. Diabetes mellitus. In: Porth CM. Pathophysiology: Concepts of Altered Health States. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Lippincott; 1998: 810-830.

3. Guyton AC, Hall JE. Diabetes mellitus. In: Textbook of Medical Physiology. 10th Ed. Philadelphia, Pa: W.B. Saunders Company;2000: .

4. Grodner M, Anderson SL, DeYoung S. Diabetes mellitus. In: Foundations and Clinical Applications of Nutrition: A Nursing Approach. St. Louis, Mo: Mosby; 2000:540-548.

5. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Do your level best. Available at: www.niddk.nih.gov/health/diabetes/dylb/chap1.htm#e. Accessed December 31, 2001.

Visit VitaNet Health Foods at VitaNet sells high quality vitamins and herbs like Nature's Plus Vitamins. Please link to this site when using this article.

Gestational diabetes, while only affecting 5% of pregnancies, can have serious effects on your baby. Here's a quick rundown on some of the possible complications.

During the 24th - 28th week of pregnancy, your doctor will give you a simple blood test for diabetes. Blood glucose levels, or blood sugar levels, that are elevated may be a sign of gestational diabetes. Left unchecked, this can cause:

Jaundice

Jaundice is fairly common after 5-7 days of birth. Generally, this is not a serious health issue, but needs medical attention nonetheless.

Death or baby being stillborn

The risk of death or stillbirth rises significantly with gestational diabetes that is left untreated.

Hypoglycemia

There are times when babies will develop low blood sugar after birth due to gestational diabetes in their mother. Their own insulin production has been extremely high in countering the increased levels of blood sugar, but is now needing some time to go down to a regular level.

Macrosmia

There are times when a baby will grow to a much larger size due to untreated gestational diabetes. This condition is known as macrosmia. It happens when the baby is exposed to far greater amounts of blood sugar.

Shoulder Dsytocia

Although rare, due to the increase in size of the baby it is unable to come through the birth canal.

Although gestational diabetes affects fewer than 1 in 10 women who are pregnant, it is a serious condition that must be treated.

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You can find out more about Gestational Diabetes as well as much more information on all types of diabetes issues at

Diabetes is one of the most common disorders today. However, there is some confusion as to what diabetes really is. There are two main different types of diabetes, and sometimes, the average person does not really know the distinction. Diabetes mellitus is usually what is referred to when we say diabetes. This disorder is due to a problem with metabolism. When people eat, the sugar contained in the food is stored by the body. This in itself is not bad. However, when the sugar levels become too high, then that is another story.

The body has natural mechanisms to counter such occurrences. Insulin, a hormone produced by the body regulates the sugar present in our blood. With diabetics, there is a shortage in insulin. As a result, blood sugar levels go up – beyond healthy levels.

The alarming thing about diabetes today is that studies have shown that over 15 million Americans have this disease and worse, over 40 percent are not really aware of it. More than that, 20 million more people have the tendency to acquire the disease because of obesity, lack of exercise, and an unbalanced diet. We should not overlook people in other countries who are in the same situation. Diabetes is not limited to any specific age, sex, or race.

What are the effects of diabetes? Debilitating effects of diabetes result mainly from the high levels of sugar in the blood. If left unchecked, this disease will cause blurred vision and eventually more severe vision problems. Kidney damage is another result of diabetes. More so, wounds and physical injuries take much longer to heal. In really severe cases, limbs may be lost.

How do we prevent diabetes? First, check if you are at risk for this disease. How do you do that? Check if you have some of the early symptoms – frequent urination, irritability, blurred vision, extreme thirst and hunger, unusual weight changes, and increased and chronic fatigue. If you suffer from several of these symptoms, you should schedule an appointment with your medical practitioner as soon as you can. Diabetes is not an incurable disease. The earlier you catch it, the more chances you have of controlling it.

To be on the safe side, even if you do not show such symptoms, it would be good to avoid eating food with high sugar content all the time. Prevention lies in controlling your sugar intake to healthy levels. Fruits and vegetables will do you good as well as lots of liquids.

If you or a family member has been diagnosed with diabetes, do not act as if it were the end of the world. Although diabetes is a serious disease, there is really no cause for despair, especially if you were able to have it diagnosed early on. Dealing with diabetes, no matter what age group you belong to, may provide some challenges, including a possible lifestyle change. It is a matter of getting proper medical attention and advice, coupled with commitment and support from friends and family.

This is article is brought to you by Hanu Nirukurti at DiabetesDietI an expert in the field of diabetes and weight loss. To learn about the basics of diabetes and diets, please visit:

Diabetic Neuropathy is a common complication of Diabetes Mellitus. It usually includes micro vascular injury to the small blood vessels leading to your nerves. Other side effects of Diabetic Neuropathy are not as uncommon.

One of the greatest complications of diabetic neuropathy concerns morbidity and mortality in the diabetic. This neuropathy has a rate of 20% in traumatic and 50-75% non-traumatic amputations. The greatest risk for diabetes mellitus patients is glycemic control. In most patients who controlled their glycogen levels, the risk of diabetes neuropathy was smaller. Those who did not control their insulin levels were at a higher risk. Other risk factors include: smoking, high blood pressure, age, and obesity.

Micro vascular disease is the term used to explain the constriction of blood vessels from diabetes mellitus. This causes the blood vessels to slow down the amount of blood passing through the veins. Basically, less blood flows to the nerves which cause problems with circulation leading to amputation of a limb.

Keeping glucose in its metabolized state is what helps keep diabetes neuropathy from occurring. When glucose levels are too high it will cause a chemical reaction in the body that uses up compounds that may be needed to inhibit diabetes neuropathy. Medications are available which may help this.

There are several reasons the eyes, kidneys, and nerves are damaged by diabetes neuropathy. When blood does not process glucose properly, it may turn into a form of glucose that is unusable to these organs. It actually stresses the organs and does not allow the energy producing glucose to pass the cell wall barrier. This is what causes nerve, eye or kidney damage among diabetics.

Some of the effects of diabetic neuropathy are: a loss of feeling in a part of the body, numbness or tingling, bowel upset, impotence, loss of bladder control, drooping facial parts, dizziness, vision changes, speech impairment, even trouble swallowing and or muscle contraction. These difficulties are all related to the nerve damage done by diabetes neuropathy.

The reasons for these afflictions in the diabetic neuropathy patient are poorly understood at this time. Treatment may be available for some of the associated difficulties of diabetes neuropathy but for the most part there is no cure and the disease is progressive. Often amputation of limbs or soft tissue that has received a loss of blood supply and can no longer heal or fight infection is necessary. Diabetes neuropathy is being studied on a continual basis so hope for relief is available.

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Heart disease is the western world's biggest killer. It is closely followed by stroke. In fact overall around 90% of westerners have at least one modifiable risk factor for heart, stroke and vascular diseases and 25% have three or more risk factors.

In Australia, for example, a country where sport is practically a religion, over 60% of the adult population is overweight, 51% have high levels of cholesterol, 30% have high blood pressure and a staggering 8% have diabetes.

Of the easily modifiable risks, 20% of the population are smokers and around 10% drink alcohol at levels considered injurious to health.

The figures are not much different in the United States and Europe, especially in countries like Germany, Russia and the UK.

While lack of exercise is without doubt a contributing factor, the greatest risks come from an unhealthy and unwholesome diet, heavy in sugars and saturated fats. It therefore follows that by changing your diet you can reduce your level of risk from cardiac and vascular diseases.

The impact of the food you eat on your health should never be underestimated. Although there is no such thing as a 'magic' food that will decrease the risk of developing heart problems, there is evidence to support the idea that some plant foods can help. This is particularly true of foods such as wholegrain cereals, legumes, nuts and fruit.

In addition, oily fish such as salmon, mackerel, sardines and tuna are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which are known to lower levels of bad cholesterol (ldl). These acids also improve blood vessel elasticity and thin the blood, making it less likely to form the kind of clots which lead to a stroke.

Some vegetable oils such as olive, corn, soy and safflower have a similar effect, which is why they are so much healthier to use in cooking than saturated fats like butter or dripping.

Other dietary weapons in the battle against heart disease include folate and the antioxidants which are found in practically all fruit and vegetables, as well as the high fibre content of wholegrain cereals. Dark green fruit and vegetables such as avocadoes and spinach are particularly rich in vitamin E, which acts as an antioxidant and helps protect against high levels of ldl.

Controlling blood sugar levels is another important consideration in order to avoid the onset of type 2 diabetes, often called 'adult onset diabetes' for a very good reason. It can strike at any age, but adults over the age of forty are particularly at risk as their lifestyle begins to slow down and their incomes support a 'higher' standard of living.

Eating unrefined carbohydrates with a low glycaemic index, such as wholegrain bread, cereals, rice and pasta, helps to keep blood sugar levels in check and are an important part of your diet, particularly if you are one of those who may be prone to diabetes.

For most people, moderating their diet is the simplest and easiest step they can take to ward of later age heart and vascular diseases. By coupling these changes with an increase in exercise, a surprisingly high proportion of those now at risk could not only improve their life expectancy, they could avoid these hidden dangers altogether. If you are one of those who may be at risk, don't wait for heart disease to show itself before making the change. Act now. You might not get a second chance.

Michael Sheridan is a chef and an acknowledged authority and published writer on cooking and dietary matters. His website at contains a wealth of information, hints, tips and recipes for busy home cooks.

The craze about low-fat diets and foods has given dietary fibre a back seat. Although people may pay less attention to fibre, its health benefits are not to be ignored. Fibre remains an essential nutrient and a vital part of healthy eating for everyone, including those with diabetes. In fact, soluble forms of plant fibre may help to check blood sugar swings.

Fibre plays a significant role in the digestive process and can dramatically affect our state of health. Although fibre does not supply calories or building blocks for the body, it is now considered an essential nutrient. A deficiency of fibre in the diet leads to many health problems.

Fibre's benefits are a result of its structure. Fibre does not get broken down by digestive enzymes in the stomach and small intestine. Because of this, fibre may lower blood cholesterol and can reduce the risk of diabetes. Fibre also speeds up the movement of digested food through the intestine, reducing the amount of time your colon is exposed to cancer-promoting substances formed during digestion.

Boosting your fibre intake is good for your health. In fact, boosting it at breakfast may be the key to staying lean. Putting fibre-rich foods on your morning menu is very effective at curbing afternoon binging on snacks like cookies or cakes. That's because fibre acts like a speed bump in your gastrointestinal tract, slowing everything way down, so you stay fuller for a longer period of time.

This way, you use your body chemistry, not willpower, to curb cravings for junk food and get to your ideal body weight. Enjoying a fibre-rich diet, especially at breakfast, can reduce your calorie intake for up to 18 hours a day. Fibre-rich foods help control blood sugar and lower insulin levels. It is recommended for one to consume 25 to 30 grams of fibre a day. If you are a man less than 50 years old, take up to 38 grams of fibre a day.

Diabetes, heart disease and bowel disease are rare in Africa due to the native diets rich in whole grains, seeds, roots, vegetables and nuts. The lack of dietary fibre is responsible for the high incidence of these disorders in Western countries. Coconut meat and coconut oil form an integral part of the diet of native Africans.

Coconut meat is one of the highest sources of dietary fiber. One small 2 x 2 inch piece of fresh coconut contains 5 grams of fiber.

Adding fresh or dried coconut to your diet can significantly improve your daily fiber intake. Coconut meat may be hard to keep or get in your area but coconut oil can be stored in a bottle for a few months and is easily available. Changing your cooking oil to coconut oil can supply your body with enough fibre to stay healthy.

Protect your immune system and nourish your health with virgin coconut oil, Go to:

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From the desk of Dr Magne, author of Cancer Free For Life

Over 2,000 years ago, Hippocrates noticed a potential connection between personality traits and health conditions. Since he is considered by many to be the father of modern medicine, is it possible that he was onto something?

Current research is indicating that he was. Traditional Chinese medicine has known this for quite awhile, generally looking to the personality of a patient for diagnosis purposes.

A variety of illnesses, ranging from chronic fatigue, arthritis, diabetes, asthma and various auto-immune disorders have been shown to be a link between personality traits and health. The main reason for this appears to be the fact that our personality traits tend to determine what causes us stress and how we handle that stress.

Stress has an incredibly negative impact on the immune system, dragging it down and making it function poorly.

Our personality traits and health often times seem out of our control in this day and age. Far too many people fall back on the common excuse that it is "just how I've always been," when discussing either half of the equation.

As an example, we've all been around people who seem to be able to take the stresses and negative conditions of life in stride, without allowing anything to really bother them. At first glance, this personality trait would probably lead to good health, right?

If a person is truly unbothered by things then, yes, their personality traits and health are working together to create a positive outcome. If, however, they are actually bothered by things but suppress them, then that is likely to have a negative impact on their health. Suppression of emotion, which creates internal stress, has been shown to negatively affect the immune system.

Because of the intimate connection between your personality traits and health, try implementing the following three suggestions:

Take charge of your life. Feeling out of control is one of the most negative personality traits and health damaging points of view. Understand that you are constantly making choices in your life and that, in reality, everything that occurs in your life is a result of a choice you made.

Focus on the task at hand, without wasting energy by letting your thoughts wander. This is actually one of the central concepts of Zen Buddhism, frequently summed in the following way: When hungry, eat; when tired, sleep. People frequently hear this and think that everyone does that when, in reality, too many people have a thousand thoughts running through their head at every moment. In the book Cancer Free For Life, there are many examples and ways to reduce stress in your life and techniques to understand cancer in order to eliminate it.

Eliminate worry from your thinking. When you boil down every situation in life, you find only two different types…the situations you have control over and the situations you don't have control over. If you don't any control, there is no point in worrying. If you do have control, don't worry about it, just plan on making sure the best outcome is realized. Eliminating worry from your life is one of the most positive personality traits and healthiest thing you can do. Visit today for a wealth of FREE articles on cancer and natural ways to reverse it.

It is not easy to diagnose CHD in women who develop chest pain more often than men. The chances for these chest pains to progress to heart attack are rare. In one study, half of the women undergoing coronary angiography did not have significant heart artery blockage. But, women with classical angina symptoms had a 71 percent probability of having diseased coronary arteries. Nearly 90 percent of women suffering from heart attack had chest pains as the initial clinical presentation. This is similar to what men have experienced. Nevertheless, females are more likely to exhibit symptoms such as breathlessness, fatigue, nausea, or upper abdominal pain.

Diagnosis of CHD among women has often been a challenging task for doctors. Resting electrocardiogram (ECG) frequently shows non-specific abnormalities in women, regardless of whether there is underlying CHD. The conventional treadmill stress test also does not help much as a diagnosing tool for women. Non-invasive tests such as myocardial perfusion stress imaging and stress echocardiography may improve the sensitivity and specificity over the treadmill stress tests in the female population.

Several reports have documented that women with CHD have a worse outcome than their male counterparts. Compared to males, females have higher chance of complications after heart attack. This could be explained by:

- Older age of female CHD patients, usually 10 years older than male CHD patients.

- Increased likelihood of co-morbid conditions such as high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart failure.

- Differences in the size of the coronary arteries between men and women.

- A greater likelihood of urgent surgical or interventional procedures in women.

- Less aggressive approach generally adopted by doctors.

- Lower likelihood of referral for cardiac rehabilitation after a cardiac event

Pharmacological therapy using ACE inhibitors, aspirin, beta-blockers, nitrates and cholesterol-lowering drugs has been effective in both men and women.

A 1987 study showed that men were 6.3 times more likely than women to be referred to coronary angiography when their non-invasive tests were abnormal. Heart procedures such as PTCA (Percutaneous Transluminal Coronary Angiography) and bypass surgery were 15 to 27 percent more commonly carried out in men than in women with the diagnosis of CHD.

Complications during PTCA were higher for female patients. A slightly worse operative mortality was also associated with surgical treatment for women. After the heart bypass surgery, women have a lower likelihood of being free of angina than men do. Female CHD patients also experience greater disability and less return to work than the male patients. The rate of long-term survival and re-operation, however, are similar.

America's Most Trusted Doctor Reveals ... How to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease - Without Drugs or Surgery. Read more about his confession at: Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included.

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Walking around a food court will prove that there are many choices when it comes to fast food. Almost all customers will have something appeal to them. You can eat American or Italian, Chinese or Greek. Maybe even more important is the ability to pick between the healthy and unhealthy.

It could be argued that fast food contributes to obesity and diabetes in the Western World and now, even in less developed countries. As a country becomes more developed the need for fast solutions to just about everything goes up. To increase profits, companies sometimes pressure employees to become more productive. In itself this isn't a horrible thing, but as humans we can make mistakes along the way.

In our free market economy, fast food is just filling a need. Sometimes we don't have time to sit down and make a meal, but we still have to eat. Going the fast food route isn't the bad decision. The bad decision is going to the unhealthy fast food.

As we become more aware of our health and choice that affect it, companies that once only served hamburgers and fries are now turning to fresh salads, and delis to help us out (or take our money). We should take advantage of these new choices and enjoy them.

Instead of going for that hamburger and fries, walk across the street. Fresh cut vegetables in a sandwich on bread that was just made will always beat frozen, pre-made food. Instead of drinking a soda for every meal grab a cup of water, ice tea or milk.

Don't be fooled. Sometimes restaurants will try and confuse you. They'll use words and phrases such as fresh or made to order and trick you into thinking these foods are diet healthy. Low calorie and fresh are two different things and while you should make sure that the ingredients are fresh, even fresh ingredients can cause you to gain weight.

We make decisions everyday. Some are bad and others good. Making the right decisions with the food you eat will make you healthier and more productive.

Make Your Own Menu

Straight Health

In pregnancies today, having a screening for gestational diabetes has become very common. The test is given between the 24th-28th week of pregnancy when this form of diabetes will show up at its height.

While women with gestational diabetes can still deliver normal healthy babies, if left untreated, high blood sugar levels can cause problems for both you and your baby. Why is it necessary to be tested for gestational diabetes? Let's take a closer look.

Gestational Diabetes Screening

Until recently, testing for gestational diabetes was not included as routine prenatal care for most women, unless you had diabetes prior to becoming pregnant. In 2005, researchers reported results from a study that tracked women who were pregnant and had gestational diabetes. The women who received proper medical treatment for diabetes all had healthier babies and fewer complications than those who had no treatment. Hence, the importance of being screened.

Your doctor will most likely have you take what is called the glucose challenge test. What happens is that you'll be given a special glucose solution to drink when you come in for your appointment. It is simply an extra sweet solution that sort of tastes like a soft drink.

Next, you'll wait for an hour and the doctor will draw a blood sample from your arm. The results will be known within a day or two.

The reason for the hour delay is to give the glucose drink time to work through your system and see how your body's insulin reacts. Does your pancreas produce enough insulin to offset the glucose? Or, does your body succumb to the increase and maintain a high blood sugar level? This is what the test will answer.

A normal and healthy blood sugar level following the test is below 140 mg/dL. If you're below that number you're fine, and no further testing needs to be done.

If you're blood glucose level is above 140 mg/dL, don't panic. You'll then be given a second test to confirm any diagnosis of gestational diabetes.

Follow Up Gestational Diabetes Test

For the follow up glucose test, you will need to fast overnight before the test for at least 8 hours. You'll be asked to have nothing but water during that time.

You'll then be given another glucose solution to drink, but this time your blood sugar levels are checked every hour for 3 straight hours. If your blood sugar is high for two of those three hours, you will be diagnosed with gestational diabetes.

If in fact it is confirmed that you have gestational diabetes, your doctor will most likely put you on a special diet and exercise program for the duration of your pregnancy. In some cases daily insulin medication may also be needed.

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You can find out more about Gestational Diabetes Testing as well as much more information on all types of diabetes issues at

Type 2 diabetes is an increasing health problem worldwide. Most of the 194 million people with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes, which is caused by inability to regular the sugar in the body properly. Diabetics are of high risk of developing other diseases including heart disease, if their conditions are not well-managed.

A recent study revealed that an herbal therapy that has been used for thousands of years may help control blood sugar levels in people suffering from Type-2 diabetes. Milk thistle, a flowering herb, contains several chemicals with possible medical effects. Most current research focuses on one of them, silymarin, which may have specific protective effects on cells in the liver. Milk thistle can also produce modest reductions in cholesterol levels and help to protect the heart muscle from damage caused by certain drugs. However, these potential uses have not been well-studied in humans.

As reported in the Journal Phytotherapy Research, a study conducted by researchers from the Institute of Medicinal Plants in Teheran seemed to indicate beneficial effects of silymarin for Type 2 diabetics.

The researchers compared the effects of daily supplements of silymarin against a placebo in 52 diabetics. Half of the patients received 200 mg of silymarin 3 times a day for 4 months or the dummy pill along with conventional treatments. At the end of the study, people in the herbal group had reduced blood glucose levels compared to their earlier levels.

The results were indeed very encouraging but further large multi-center studies were necessary. Although some substances appear to have an effect in people with Type 2 diabetes, it is warned that they should not be used as a cure and should not replace traditional therapies. As the study was very small and still in its early stages, it is not recommended to use milk thistle or any other supplement for people with diabetes.

Women who have cancers of the breast, ovaries, or uterus or who have other hormone-dependent conditions should not take or use milk thistle plant extract due to its possible estrogenic effects. Pregnant women should also not take milk thistle because of it could interfere with normal fetal development. Men who have prostate cancer should not take milk thistle without the approval of a doctor.

Despite the findings, researchers still stressed that the best methods of controlling glucose levels is through a combination of regular physical activity, a healthy diet, and the relevant prescribed medication.

America's Most Trusted Doctor Reveals ... How to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease - Without Drugs or Surgery. Read more about his confession at: Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included.

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Coronary heart disease (CHD) is the leading cause of death and morbidity among women in the world, accounting for one-third of all deaths in women worldwide. It is estimated that 1 in 2 women will eventually die of heart disease or stroke as compared to 1 in 25 women who will eventually die of breast cancer. Although men have a higher overall heart attack incidence rate than women did, the chance that women die during heart attack is higher.

The risk factors for CHD are more or less similar for both men and women except for some minor differences. These risk factors include smoking, cholesterol, diabetes mellitus, high blood pressure, physical inactivity, obesity, and last but not least, stress. The management of these risk factors has generally been either ignored or pursued less vigorously in women than men.

Smoking increases the risk of CHD tremendously if there is concomitant use of oral contraceptives.

Raised levels of total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol are weakly associated with CHD in women. Instead, HDL cholesterol is closely and inversely associated with CHD. Triglycerides, especially in older women or diabetics, are independent predictor of CHD.

Diabetes is an exceptionally bad and powerful risk of CHD in women by threefold to sevenfold, as compared to an increase of twofold to threefold in men. Diabetes dramatically increases the death rate of heart attack in women as well.

The importance of high blood pressure is similar in both men and women. Optimal high blood pressure treatment can reduce the various complications such as death, stroke, heart failure or CHD.

A sedentary life style is detrimental to heart health. Regular exercise can offer benefits for women in lowering the risk of CHD.

Obesity is closely related to diabetes and high blood pressure. Central obesity, a waist-to-hip ratio of more than 0.85, is especially associated with CHD in women.

Both acute and chronic forms of stress may play a contributory role in the development of CHD or plaque rupture. In addition, depression, higher level of anxiety and a lack of social support may contribute partly to the poorer outcome in women after cardiac events or cardiac surgery.

One of the best times women should monitor their risk factors is during their pregnancy. They should stop smoking and avoid excessive weight gain. They should seek medical advice on nutrition, physical activity and stress management for heart health benefits.

America's Most Trusted Doctor Reveals ... How to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease - Without Drugs or Surgery. Read more about his confession at: Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included.

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We have been chomping on a semi secret killer for many years now. Even those vegetarians who were looking at the ingredients of processed foods for signs of animal products were duped. What is this unseen health hazard that lurks in all types of food? They are called trans fatty acids, but go under a variety of other names, just to confuse us.

It has taken a very long time to identify this terrible substance as a killer. It has been with us since around 1911, when Proctor & Gamble bought the rights to the Normann process, which was a way of pumping hydrogen into oils to make them solid, and produced a new shortening called Crisco, made primarily from cotton seed oil. This process also made it possible to use whale oil as a human food, although given the taste of some of the early margarine, it might not have been considered food, which also helped the whales towards extinction.

Trans fats nowadays are almost exclusively made from plant sources such as soya bean oil, palm oil, sunflower oil etc., and are widely used in food manufacturing because not only do they increase the shelf life but food made with trans fats can also be stored at a higher temperature, thus reducing the cost of refrigeration.

During the last thirty years, there has been an increase in the number of vegetarians which meant that foods using animal fats were avoided leading to a further growth in the use of trans fats, other dietary requirements such as Kosher, Halal, etc., could also be catered for by the use of these types of shortenings.

It was thought to be better than the saturated animal fats which were then said to be responsible for most of the bad cholesterol. and it was a lot cheaper so that manufacturing costs were brought down.

The CSPI (the Centre for Science in the Public Interest) even ran a campaign to stop the fast food chains using saturated fats in favour of trans fats, a stance that it was to change some eight years later.

It wasn't until around 1988 that the first medical papers started to appear, suggesting that trans fats were responsible for coronary heart disease, since then the evidence has grown and the governmental agencies are now issuing warnings about trans fats.

One of the major landmarks was when in May 2003 in America, a concerned organization called BanTransFat Inc which is a not for profit company, sued the food giant Kraft Foods over the amount of trans fat used in Oreo cookies, which are a very popular American biscuit. This prompted Kraft to decide to use alternatives for trans fat and the suit was withdrawn, but it did shine a spotlight on the trans fat issue.

Since then, governments around the world have had a very patchy record on the control of these substances, with Denmark which has strict laws against the use of trans fats to Canada which only has recommendations on the permissible amounts. Despite this lack of legislation there is a groundswell of opinion that is having an effect on the amount of trans fat being pumped into our diet. There is a town in California which has declared its self 'Trans Fat Free', in New York City restaurants were ask to eliminate trans fats from their menus which was followed up by the Health Board banning the use of artificial trans fats in cooking.

Companies are now policing themselves as many fast food chains are either reducing trans fats or eliminating them altogether, whilst in the U.K., a number of supermarket chains are not only banning the use of trans fats in their own brand products but asking their suppliers to do the same. The large multi nationals like Kraft and Nestle are responding but care should be taken, just because trans fat may be eliminated or reduced in a product in one country, it does not always follow that it will be the same in other countries.

It may be the legislators have some problems because trans fats are also found in meat and dairy products, albeit in very small proportions. These naturally occurring trans fats are not thought to cause any of the problems associated with the artificially made ones because of the amounts involved.

The trouble with trans fats is that not only do they increase harmful LDL cholesterol, which blocks the arteries, it also actively reduces HDL, the good cholesterol, this in turn will lead to an increase risk of heart attacks or strokes. There are other studies showing an increased risk of diabetes, Alzheimers and a tendency of the body to put more fat on around the stomach and although these studies are still ongoing, should be taken into account.

Children are quite vulnerable, starting with babies because trans fats can also be passed on to infants via the mothers milk so breast feeding mothers should be watching their diet. Children, of course, love fast food, popcorn, biscuits/cookies, cakes and a whole host of things that have trans fats in them. This means that they will be taking on a heavy burden of trans fats, leading to problems later on in life. Certainly in the UK there is an increase in the number of diabetic and obese children.

When shopping, care must be taken and food labels should be read carefully. If you see vegetable shortening, hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated vegetable oils they will have trans fat in them and if they are listed in the top four to five of the ingredients then there will be a larger amount used. It is amazing just how many different types of food it can get into, even youghurt and your choice of margarine should be looked at.

Trans fats do not always occur in the ingredients, they can also be present in your cooking oil if you do not frequently change it, this means that although your favourite fast food outlet may proclaim its self trans fat free, if they do not change their cooking oil a regular basis, you may still be eating trans fats.

You need to be vigilant to be sure that this stealthy killer doesn't creep into your diet on a regular basis but the improvement in your bodys' wellbeing is well worth the effort.

Ian Richards is the webmaster of

Having diabetes myself, I know what the symptoms of low blood sugar can be like. Often times it feels like you have no control of your body and you can't figure out what or why is happening. Let's take a closer look at the symptoms of low blood sugar, and how it can affect your health.

Did you know that many people have symptoms of low blood sugar, yet don't know it? Think of how many times you've felt tired and worn out between 11:00 AM and 3:00 PM? It's a tell tale sign of low blood sugar. Here is how most people handle it. When they begin to feel a tired and worn down, or maybe even depressed and irritable, they will usually down a soda, some coffee, or eat a sweet snack of some kind. Boom, now all of a sudden they feel like they have been re-energized. Well, it's caused by a spike in their blood sugar.

So, what's the problem with that? While this may appear to be normal for a lot of folks, it is not normal. The reason for the tiredness at lunchtime is because of your diet. Most likely, you ate a high carbohydrate, high sugar, high starch breakfast. Next, the lack of energy at 3:00 PM is from the same type of lunch you ate. Can you see how this is just a vicious cycle? It's a roller coaster ride that you need to get off of in order to maintain your health.

Are you a smoker? Are you aware that smoking cigarettes will create a rise in your blood sugar level? It's due to the nicotine in the cigarette mixing together with the adrenal system. When this happens, blood sugar levels go higher.

The symptoms of low blood sugar can last all day and evening. Keep track or what happens when you eat a sweet snack, or drink a cup of coffee, etc. You'll notice your energy level immediately rising. But, it doesn't last long, maybe an hour or so tops. This is why you see people who drink 10 cups of coffee a day, or are constantly drinking soda all day, or have to smoke a cigarette every hour.

We all know that coffee, soda, tea, etc., contain sugar, but they also contain caffeine. The two of these ingredients can be brutal to our bodies health structure. Our blood sugar goes up at the expense of our liver glycogen. It depletes liver glycogen levels, while the lack of proper nutrition doesn't replenish it. This is just one of the many reasons why a proper diet is so important in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

Spotting the symptoms of low blood sugar isn't difficult when you know what to look for. Here's another good example. The early mornings are usually the absolute worst times for your blood sugar level. It's due to them being at there lowest levels. Have you known people who were so irritable in the morning that you didn't even want to speak to them until they had their cup of coffee, or ate breakfast? You can also take note that the vast majority of marital spats happen during the morning hours. Why is that?

Because of low blood sugar. Now, give these same people 2 cups of coffee, or a nice breakfast, and notice what happens. It's like they are completely different. Their personality changes and they are happy. They have energy to go tackle the day. Most of all, you'll notice that often times they will forget the fact that they just hurt your feelings earlier. It's like Jekyll and Hyde.

When you notice your loved one having the symptom of low blood sugar, keep an eye on it. It could be due to having pre-diabetes, or even from being a diabetic and not being aware of it. Have them see their doctor and get checked out. Having your blood glucose tested only takes a second, and it's a simple test. Don't let the symptoms of low blood sugar take control of your health.

People have different reasons to engage in any weight loss program: some chase for body images, some may have health problems such as high cholesterol, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension, etc., yet others just want to keep themselves healthy.

If you are dieters, you will probably hear of Dr Robert Atkins' low-carb diet, Dr Peter D'Adamo's blood-type diet, Dr Barry Sears' Zone Diet, and Dr Arthur Agatston's South Beach Diet.

Dr Rami Cohen is less well-known but his weight-loss plan has been helping people reduced kilos in countries like South Africa, Australia, Britain, the Netherlands and the United States for more than 20 years.

Anyone who intends to go on diet will need to go for a blood test. Dr Cohen will personally analyze the blood test results and he will then come up with a specific eating plan which balances proteins and carbohydrates. The diet is not based solely on counting calories, but on food types, quantities and combinations. The aim of the plan is to correct the hormonal imbalance that is believed to prevent weight loss.

The three hormones linked to obesity, as identified by Dr Cohen, are insulin, serotonin, and the human growth hormone. According to him, obesity is a disease and has little or nothing to do with a lack of self-discipline. His idea is that most people with weight problems do not have the right balance of these hormones, so no matter how hard they diet or exercise, they will find it hard to lose the kilo. The program can help most people lose weight from 7 kg to 15 kg in the first month of the program.

Some health-care professionals tend to disagree on this method of losing weight. Some do not approve the rapid weight loss. Medically, it is better to lose weight gradually, about 2 kg per month, as dramatic weight loss is not sustainable and the weight tends to go back on soon after. Others remain skeptical of the overall approach. Though there are hormonal imbalances such as deficiencies in growth and thyroid hormones that predispose one to gaining excessive weight, these conditions would rather need medical intervention.

Nonetheless, the Cohen program perhaps would offer help for those weak-willed. Monthly blood tests will show if they have deviated from the plan, and counseling is available whenever needed.

Personally, I still believe that a healthy and balance diet coupled with moderate exercise and certain degree of self discipline is still the key to keep you a healthy weight with a happy heart.

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Hair Loss is attributed to various factors. Hair loss may be due to your negligence towards hair care or it could be an outcome of genetic propensity towards hair fall after a certain age. If you are constantly under stress, it may also give way to stress. And not to forget about the medications and pills, that result in hair loss as a side effect.

We often associate chemotherapy drugs with hair fall but most of us are ignorant of the fact that even diabetes drugs could cast an adverse effect on hairs. Specifically diabetes medications used to lower cholesterol level or to keep cholesterol level under control pave the way for hair fall. Most of the type 2 diabetics are sure to add to their agony with hair loss as a side effect of medications.

However the rate of hair fall would vary among diabetics depending upon the severity of complications and potency of drugs that are being used to curb the malady and related complications. Be it men or women, both have equal chances of suffering from hair loss due to diabetic medications.

In most of the cases when potency of medication is reduced or usage of certain medicines is stopped there are chances that hairs would be back on your scalp. However you must not be very much worried about falling hairs as medication for diabetes hardly results in baldness or complete hair loss.

If you are diabetic and you happen to be in such a situation instead of brooding over this side effect immediately consult your doctor for suggestions to combat this problem.

When you get diagnosed with type 2 diabetes insulin becomes a regular part of your medication. And statin or other synthetic drugs are used to keep the cholesterol within the normal range. These two types of medications greatly contribute to hair thinning that gradually results in hair fall. Many reports have proved that even diabetic blood pressure medicines could cast the similar effect on hairs.

In some cases drugs used to treat nephrological disorders or kidney malfunctions arising out of high blood sugar level could also have it's repercussions on hairs. But you must not stop these medications once you experience hair fall instead you should go on asking your doctor for options to re-grow the hairs.

To sum up diabetes happens to be one of the major causes of hair loss so you need to be careful about your hairs or you should rather provide extra care to your hairs once you get identified with diabetes.

To get more information on hair loss, causes of hair loss and hair care tips visit

Diabetes is an ailment that is formed when there is an abnormal production of glucose in the blood. The glucose in our blood needs nutrients to sustain the body needs. These nutrients are formed when the food that we eat has been digested. As a result, the food nutrients become sugar. That is what we call glucose. This glucose will be carried into our body cells through our blood.

Furthermore, this glucose works with insulin as produced by the pancreas. Insulin is a pancreatic juice. Your body cells work with insulin. And that is how energy is produced upon the conversion of blood glucose into energy.

But how does diabetes take place?

Diabetes is only possible when either one of these two situations or both is occurring:

• There is an insufficient supply of insulin

• The insulin consumers such as muscle cells and liver misuse insulin

Consequently, the supply of glucose increases but cannot be converted into energy because there is a problem in the supply of insulin. Hyperglycemia is the term used when there is an oversupply of blood glucose to the body cells.

However, there are three different types of diabetes that you should know. These are listed below.

• Type 1

This type of diabetes is present among children and the young ones. This one happens when the immune system destroys the pancreatic cells that must produce enough insulin.

• Type 2

Type 2 is the most popular diabetes. Sometimes, they call it "adult-onset diabetes". Normally, your pancreas may supply enough insulin as the need increases, but in the long run, the supply may decrease when the insulin-consuming cells have problems in the use of insulin.

• Gestational

This usually happens among women who are pregnant. Though this sickness may occur at the latter part of their pregnancy period, it may also diminish after giving birth. Gestational diabetes is a result of insufficient supply of insulin because of pregnancy.

But whatever type of diabetes you have, still, you are open to the danger of being blind. Yes, blindness is one of the consequences of having diabetes. But don't panic yet because it is curable for as long it is diagnosed earlier in time and you are taking preventive measures for this illness.

According to the press release news of the EARTH dated October 9, 2006, San Francisco, California, there is an overwhelming number of Americans, in terms of million people, who are inflected with the Type 1 and 2 of diabetes. Exactly, 28.8 million people of America or seven percent of America's population is suffering from the havoc of diabetes. The bad side of it is that 24, 000 people are vulnerable to permanent blindness. That is because of diabetic retinopathy. Diabetic retinopathy attacks the retina which is at the back of the eye. The worst of it, over 5.3 million of the American population with age 18 above may suffer with this undesirable ailment all because of diabetes.

Now, the good news: The American Academy of Ophthalmology is planting new seeds of hope for the numerous victims of blindness due to diabetes. This coming November of the year 2006, the Diabetic Eye Disease Awareness Month will be launched to open the eyes of these victims about the truth behind this blindness. The truth is that blindness can still be cured!

But how can we prevent blindness due to diabetic retinopathy? Here's how.

Dr. Jose S. Pulido, MD, a professor of ophthalmology at Rochester, Minn said that an annual dilated eye exam may reduce the risk of blindness by up to 94 percent. And that is how great it is!

As a piece of advice by this respected doctor, blindness is prevented through these:

• Find out if you really have diabetes

• For those who are once young, with the age of 45 and above, have an examination of your blood sugar once within three years.

So, as a lesson to learn, don't let diabetes lingers in your body system. The longer it lingers, the greater the risk of permanent vision loss.

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Charlene J. Nuble

For All the things you need to know about diabetes, please go to: Types of Diabetes

Disclaimer: None of the content of this article should be considered medical or psychological advice. You should consult with your health care professional for specific advice relating to your medical and psychological questions or conditions.

An important issue for psychologists, pediatricians, and other specialists working with children is physical and mental development of children and adolescents. There are many age periodizations in child's development and going through every period, child learns and gets new abilities. However, children with chronic illnesses like diabetes, sickle cell anemia, severe asthma, cancer and others cannot go through regular physical and mental development. Due to special treatment they cannot go to ordinary school like healthy children, sometimes they have to stay in hospitals for a long period of time. How to help children with illnesses develop mentally and not drop behind children of the same age?

1. Create special home or hospital-educational plan and organize short mathematics, logics and reading lessons every day or week. Together with your child you can make this time very interesting and useful. New information, which you can find for your child, will help him or her to feel completeness of life and self-efficiency.

2. Create homework assignments for your child. Begin with easy arithmetical (or any other subject) tasks. Doing it successfully will help your child to raise self-confidence and interest to new knowledge.

3. Even small tasks which demand accuracy (for example, measuring table in centimeters or inches) can be very interesting if you explain that every item around us should be planned and measured very accurately first, before constructing. Manual tasks demanding attention and accuracy are very useful, because they increase ability to concentrate and regulate attention.

4. Be patient and teach your child to be patient. This will help your child to be optimistic during treatment process and have positive attitude to the environment – some of the major components of psychological and physical health.

5. Contributing to your child's mental development will help your child feel all your love. Receiving interesting information, positive attitude and cheerful mood create a special condition to improve health and stop illness progress. Help your child be interested in knowing more and more about this world, prompt him or her to be healthy and you will see positive changes in your child's life.

Madina Bakhitova, MS Psychology.

- an online psychology portal providing news and information on various psychology subjects, discussion forum, psychology RSS feeds and web links.

Diebetes Mellitus, or Diabetes as it is also known as, is present in more than 15 million Americans at the current time. Even more amazing is the fact that almost 40% of them don't even know they have the disease.

Another 20+ million have Pre-Diabetes Mellitus because of high blood glucose levels mainly caused by obesity, lack of exercise, and an improper diet. While it's only natural to think it won't happen to you, the truth is, more than 185,000 people will die this year alone due to type ii diabetes symptoms.

How do you get Diabetes?

The foods we consume contain natural glucose, which is a simple sugar. It is glucose that gives our bodies the energy we need every day. As the glucose goes through our bloodstream, it needs to be kept regulated. This is accomplished by our pancreas which produces insulin.

The more glucose, or sugar, that is introduced into our body, the more insulin that is released to regulate the blood glucose level. The problem arises when our body fails to produce the insulin we need, or it doesn't produce enough.

Effects of Diebetes Mellitus

By having too high of a level of blood sugar in our body does severe damage over time. It can cause blurred vision and blindness, kidney damage, hands and feet to be lost, and even death. You'll need to do all you can to prevent and treat the disease.

Types of Diabetes Mellitus

Type 1 Diabetes is the form of diabetes that requires daily injections of insulin medicine. The pancreas produces no insulin at all to control the blood sugar level. Without the daily insulin shots of medicine, the person will not survive. Approximately 10% of diabetics have Type 1, or Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus.

Type 2 Diabetes is the most common form of the disease. Also known as Non-Insulin Dependent Diabetes Mellitus, this form occurs when the pancreas either can't produce enough insulin, or it stops using it properly. Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus is present in 90% of all diabetics, and usually affects people over the age of 40 the most. Genetics also play a big role with type ii diabetes symptoms.

The key to getting the disease under control is to prevent and treat it as soon as possible. Have a blood sugar test annually to check for symptoms. Don't let Diebetes Mellitus get you by surprise.

You can find out more about Diabetes Mellitus as well as much more information on diabetes issues at

Diabetes affects almost 200 million people worldwide today, and shows all the signs of being classified as a modern day epidemic. It is estimated that the number of diabetics in the world will double by the next decade. Studies have shown that the trend has a 2 to 1 ratio between women and men. The higher incidence of diabetes in women has also led to the existence of another type of diabetes known as gestational diabetes.

Gestational diabetes shows up in 4 to 8 percent of pregnancies, affecting 135,000 women in the United States alone each year. The biggest threat posed by gestational diabetes is that the developing infant runs a high risk of being born with type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes affects 90 percent of the world's diabetics, and involves the blood cells having a high resistance rate to insulin, resulting in an increased demand on the pancreatic cells of the body which generate insulin. Type 2 diabetes is closely linked to obesity, and is a leading cause of both blindness and heart failure.

Women who develop gestational diabetes run the risk of complications during pregnancy aside from the fact that their infants may be born with type 2 diabetes. Gestational diabetes has been known to lead to hemorrhaging and other difficulties during childbirth, as well as leading to a few stillbirths. Thankfully, the number of fatalities as a result of the complications of gestational diabetes are low.

A large number of women who are affected by type 2 diabetes will also develop gestational diabetes during conception, though there are also reported cases where the women were never previously diagnosed with diabetes. Studies are still being conducted to support two theories regarding this; the first being that the women were never diagnosed with diabetes but had it to begin with in a milder latent form that was only diagnosed during pregnancy, and the second that the women developed diabetes during their pregnancy as a result of dietary imbalance, obesity, and lack of physical exercise.

There is enough evidence to support both theories. On the one hand, 2/3 of the people in Europe who were undergoing treatment for cardiovascular problems were actually discovered to have diabetes, and they simply were never diagnosed for it, which supports the first theory. On the other hand, the main leading cause of type 2 diabetes is high intake of sugar in the diet, intestinal obesity, and lack of exercise, all of which are factors which affect some pregnant women. This supports the second theory.

Whatever the case, diabetes is rapidly turning into an epidemic, and international health organizations and governments have begun to increase their research into finding ways to address this growing problem. In the United States, Senators Hilary Clinton and Susan Collins have recently introduced the Gestational Diabetes Act, which is being supported by the American Diabetes Association.

The act is intended to promote research into gestational diabetes and to try and find preventive measures and cures to the problem. Given the number of diabetics is increasing daily, this research is vital to keeping the problem of diabetes in general stemmed. While diabetes can be avoided by people who lead the right lifestyles by getting enough exercise and keeping proper diets, the children who are born with type 2 diabetes as a result of gestational diabetes in their mothers have no such defense.

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Charlene J. Nuble

For All the things you need to know about diabetes, please go to: Gestational Diabetes

Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects as many as 16 million Americans, with diabetes being on such a dramatic increase in the United States, it's helpful to understand what diabetes is, and what to look for. Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness, renal failure, and amputation in the United States, and is associated with a range of complications, including heart attacks, strokes, amputations and loss of vision. It is characterized by glucose intolerance and is caused by an imbalance between the body's insulin supply and insulin demand.

Diabetes is a chronic (life-long) condition that can have serious consequences. So controlling diabetes is very important and should be supervised by a medical doctor.

Diabetes is often described as type 1, type 2, or gestational diabetes, and it is caused by a combination of genetic and lifestyle factors.

Type 1 diabetes, also known as insulin dependent diabetes mellitus or IDDM, accounts for 5 percent to 10 percent of diagnosed cases of diabetes. Type 1 diabetes develops when the immune system attacks the body, destroying pancreatic b cells and preventing the pancreas from producing the insulin. Type 1 Diabetes is considered an autoimmune disease and is usually diagnosed in children and young adults.

Type 2 diabetes may account for about 90% to 95% of all diagnosed cases of diabetes and affects approximately 8 percent of adults in the United States. Type 2 diabetes mellitus is increasingly common, primarily because of increases in the prevalence of a sedentary lifestyle and obesity.

In type 2 diabetes, the body doesn't produce enough insulin (a hormone that controls blood sugar) or doesn't respond properly to insulin (a condition in which the body fails to properly use insulin). Diet, exercise, oral medication, and insulin are the cornerstones of type 2 diabetes treatment.

As incredible as it sounds, coffee drinkers have a substantially lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than people who abstain from the beverage. People who are overweight (meaning they have a body mass index of 25 or more) do have an increased risk for diabetes, and the risk increases with size, research has shown that strength training can help overweight adults lower their risk of diabetes. In fact, modest, consistent physical activity and a healthy diet can cut your risk for developing type 2 diabetes by nearly 60 percent.

We often think of overweight adults as being at risk for having diabetes, but it is now know that many overweight teens are at risk for diabetes too. Among the risk factors, diabetes was one of the strongest independent predictors for acute organ failure, with a threefold increased risk. If you want to calculate your personal risk of diabetes, you can visit the American Diabetes Association website.

For more info about Diabetics?, feel free to visit us at:

Diabetes mellitus is a condition in which the body produces too little or ineffectively uses insulin, resulting in high levels of glucose in the blood. Diabetes has long been associated with heart disease. It is known that persons with diabetes are more likely to develop coronary heart disease (CHD) because diabetes can cause irritation of the blood vessel walls, adversely affect cholesterol profile and raise blood pressure. The prevalence levels of developed countries like United States and Australia are 8.3 percent and 7.4 percent respectively, as at 2004.

A report released in 2004 in the medical journal, Diabetes Care, revealed that more than one-fifth of patients with type-2 diabetes have decreased blood flow to the heart. However, no symptoms to suggest there is a problem.

This serious condition, known as myocardial ischemia, occurs when the heart does not receive enough blood to meet the metabolic needs, usually due to plaque build-up in the coronary arteries. Experts depict this disease as "silent" when there are no symptoms being presented. No chest pain is experienced and in fact there are no symptoms at all before a heart attack.

Doctors usually have had difficulty to detect the early-stage heart disease in type-2 diabetes patients because there may be nerve damage throughout the body. Chest pain, which is the heart's most important signal, is dampened considerably since insufficient blood and oxygen are obtained.

The study was conducted by a group of researchers from the Yale University School of Medicines in New Haven, Connecticut. The patients for the Detection of Ischemia in Asymptomatic Diabetics (DIAD) study were recruited in such a way that there was not even the slightest suggestion of the presence of heart disease.

The researchers had found that even in these patients with no symptoms, 22 percent had myocardial ischemia. In the DIAD study, the researchers analyzed data from 522 patients with type 2 diabetes. Of the patients with silent myocardial ischemia, only 60 percent met American Diabetes Association (ADA) guidelines for heart disease screening.

As suspected by the researchers, the rate of silent ischemia is even higher in the real world. The study again shows that diabetes is a very serious risk factor for heart disease. According to the researchers, the ADA should review its guidelines for screening heart disease for type-2 diabetes because they obviously miss almost half the patients with silent disease.

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Diabetes has been shown to be one of the leading causes of cardiovascular problems. Diabetes, by itself, is a medical condition that to date has affected 194 million people worldwide, and the numbers are estimated to increase to 250 million by the next decade.

The most common type of diabetes is type 2 diabetes. This is a common form of diabetes because it is related closely to obesity, particularly intestinal obesity. The more or less sedentary lifestyles led by most people in the modern age is a major contributing factor to the spread of diabetes, particularly lack of exercise and high intake levels of sugar and junk food.

Type 2 Diabetes basically involves an increase in the body's demands for insulin, and a failure of the pancreatic cells to meet these increased demands. On a metabolic level, the body's blood cells generate a high rate of insulin resistance, increasing the need for insulin because the cells can't process them as efficiently. Diabetes, if left unchecked, ultimately leads to two major physical conditions, one being blindness, and the other death through cardiovascular problems.

Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death through heart failure due to cardiometabolic instability. Research has shown that the other factors closely involved with type 2 diabetes, namely hypertension and obesity, also contribute to heart failure. Fully two thirds of the patients who were being treated for heart problems in various European hospitals were discovered to have diabetes as well, whether or not they were previously diagnosed for it.

The two seem to go hand in hand. Whereas before it was acknowledged that diabetics run the risk of suffering cardiovascular conditions, now the trend seems to be finding that a majority of those suffering heart conditions are also diabetic. Again, it boils down to the lifestyle that leads to diabetes in the first place.

First off, intestinal obesity seems to trigger both conditions together. Obesity leads to an increase in the body's resistance to insulin, which leads to an increased demand for it that the body's insulin generators can't keep up with. This, or course, leads to diabetes. On top of this, the same condition of obesity also involves having large amounts of unhealthy cholesterol in the blood stream. Cholesterol clogging in the ventricles naturally leads to cardiovascular failure.

The two effects actually stack one on top of the other. The blood cells' insulin resistance also leads to a lower metabolic rate, which means that the speed and efficiency with which the cells process nutrients is lowered. This leads to even more buildup of cholesterol. The two processes taken together greatly contribute to heart problems.

Hypertension is also closely linked to obesity. The increasing strain on the body's pancreatic cells to generate enough insulin to meet the diabetic's increasing demands leads to hypertension. The resulting increase in blood pressure generates it's own set of cardiovascular complications on top of those caused by intestinal obesity.

The best solution to avoiding diabetes and heart failure is preventive measures taken early on. Getting more exercise and keeping a balanced diet is the key. However, for those who are already diabetic, the only option that is available is preventive maintenance. Orally taken medications are available to take care of the effects of diabetes, and in those cases where the diabetic is unaffected by the medicines, insulin injections are used for treatment.

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Charlene J. Nuble

For All the things you need to know about diabetes, please go to: Type 2 Diabetes

Overweight and obesity are undesirable as they can cause many health issues including diabetes, high blood cholesterol levels, heart disease, etc. People who are overweight or obese should not hesitate to put themselves on diet in order to lower or avoid the risk of getting heart related problems.

As mother, your dieting habits can have a bad influence on your children, especially when your dieting is based on body image and not health. Some research indicates that youngsters learn attitude about dieting through observation. This means that some youngsters may develop an unhealthy fixation on body image.

As obesity rates climb among children, parents are always warned about the dangers of junk food and lack of exercise, yet there is little mention about parents who carefully count every calorie that crosses their lips. That type of obsession can be destructive as youngsters may concentrate on weight issues while overlooking the energy and nutrition they need for their growth. While fathers also play an important role in shaping children's attitudes about food, research has focused primarily on women and their daughters, since females are more likely to diet and worry about the body image.

One study published in 2005 by researchers at the Harvard Medical School found that frequent dieting by mothers was associated with frequent dieting by their adolescent daughters. The study also found that girls with mothers who had weight concerns were more likely to develop anxieties about their own bodies.

A study published in the Journal of American Dietetic Association reported that 5 year-old girls whose mothers dieted were twice as likely to be aware of dieting and weight-loss strategies as girls whose mothers did not diet. Dieting of the mothers can create a marker of how important weight is in the household.

It is not easy for parents to walk the line between encouraging healthy habits and not making an issue of weight, especially with parents already bearing the blame for rising obesity rates among children.

The best strategy is to lead by example. A mother living in Albany does just that. She threw dieting out the window long ago and has made fitness a part of family life. The 52-year-old runs marathons and her 15-year-old daughter is on the track team. She tries not to keep heavy-duty junk food in the house but does not make a big deal about it, and is okay with things like pretzels and popcorn.

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Illness is becoming a huge social and economic issue in the US. There are several reasons why sickness is exploding to epidemic proportion and they are linked to the nutritional deficiencies in our food. Food is the fuel our bodies need to function correctly. What we are doing to our food is destroying its ability to protect us against many diseases including cancer, diabetes and autoimmune disease:

1. "Green Harvesting" which is the picking of our fruits and vegetables before they are ripe on the plant. The plants create vital nutrients in the last 3 days of ripening. Phytonutrients and antioxidants that are absolutely essential to building a strong immune system.

2. Most of the modern methods of processing foods take all the vitamin and minerals out of the foods, leaving them just empty calories.

3. Chemical treatments, such as fungicides and pesticides, remove the nutrients and add toxins to our food.

4. Preparing the food in ways that are unhealthy, such as overcooking and adding large amounts of salt and sugar. When using a microwave, 90% of the nutrients are destroyed.

5. Storing food in Styrofoam. Also, using plastic containers that are not made for use with food. These containers release harmful toxins.

6. Growing produce in soil depleted of essential nutrients.

7. Pollution is causing our watering systems to be full of toxins.

Cancer, diabetes and heart disease, along with 85 autoimmune diseases are on the increase. The statistics for illness is the US speak for themselves:

1 out of 3 will develop cancer. (National Cancer Institute)

1 out of 2 will die of cardiovascular disease. (American Heart Association)

Diabetes is the #6 overall killer in the US, resulting in 70,000 deaths each year. (Health Education International)

3 out of 4 will develop a degenerative disease. (Center for Disease Control)

More than 196,000 die and 2.2 million are injured each year by adverse reactions to prescription drugs. (Alternative Medicine, March 2000)

60% of the visits to the doctors are the result of stress related conditions.

(Stein, Joel, Just Say Om, Time Magazine Aug 4, 2003)

Now, let's not just wring our hands and sit by thinking there is nothing we can do. Let's take responsibility for our health and help our bodies combat the unhealthy environment we now find ourselves living in. Be proactive about your health and educate yourself. No longer is taking supplements an option, but absolutely necessary to your health and well-being. The body needs vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, amino acids, and phytonutrients to fight against all the pollution and toxins. In addition, we need to build up our immune system to combat the stress in our everyday lives. Find out the Real Health Secrets so that you can survive in this toxic world. Remember, we always have a choice in making decisions concerning our health. So let's choose life and health. From more information, give me a call at 715-484-2225 or send me an email at RealHealthSecrets@ I look forward to your questions.

Bonnie Fronek is a Health Advocate and Educator. She resides in northern Wisconsin. Being a former cancer patient, she seriously pursued learning how to help her body heal and repair and to prevent serious illness from returning. Her desire now is to help others have the same benefits as she has experienced. www.HealthySugarsCanH

Type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease that affects more than 20 million Americans, approximately 7 percent of the population. Over the long term, type 2 diabetes causes life-threatening complications.

The good news is that there is something that people with type 2 diabetes can "do" to take control of the disease. Simple steps can be taken to keep it in check. You don't have to find hours each day to work out in a gym to enjoy the huge benefits of exercise. Just 20 to 30 minutes of physical fitness a day is enough to start having a positive impact.

The real key to success is finding activities that you like to do, and that you'll stick with. Take up ballroom dancing, learn to play golf or join a local walking club.

Diet is another important part of type 2 diabetes management. Add more whole grains, fruits and vegetables to your daily diet, and cut back on animal fats and sweets.

According to a recent survey of people with type 2 diabetes, virtually everyone with the disease says that they made healthy changes in their diet and exercise routines after being diagnosed. In fact, seven in 10 (70 percent) said that they made between three and seven changes in their everyday lives.

The survey also found that the top five changes people made upon diagnosis were that they:

• Paid more attention to the ingredients listed on food labels (76 percent)

• Started cooking healthier (67 percent)

• Reduced meal serving portions (56 percent)

• Started making smarter menu choices at restaurants (56 percent)

• Started walking (53 percent).

To help people with type 2 diabetes better control their disease, National Football League quarterback Donovan McNabb and his father Sam and mother Wilma recently partnered with Novartis Pharmaceuticals to help kick off HowIDoDiabetes, a campaign that encourages people to develop their own, personalized game plans.

"We believe that it's important for us to share the lessons we've learned, as more than half of American patients are not in control," said Donovan McNabb. "My dad Sam was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes nine years ago. We've seen the impact that others can have on a person's ability to manage their diabetes. And we've seen the benefits of creating a personalized management game plan that identifies practical and achievable choices a person with type 2 diabetes can make to help stay in control."

"I found lots of diabetes information online and in books, but most of it was general in nature," said Sam McNabb. "Donovan and my wife Wilma helped find things that work for me, like making walking a family pastime and tradition. The HowIDoD Web site is a great resource for people with type 2 diabetes because it will help engage and motivate patients to strive for better health."

For ideas about what people with type 2 diabetes can "do" to help control their blood sugar, visit HowIDoD or call 1-877-352-2560. The Web site features videos about how others "do" diabetes, as well as information that people can use to create their own game plan. Those who enroll in the program will receive lifestyle tips and special offers.

Log on, learn and be inspired to "do" diabetes your way.

National Football League quarterback Donovan McNabb, together with his mother, father and brother Sean, is helping to kick off the HowIDoDiabetes campaign.

Researchers are working on finding new ways to help the more than 1.3 million people who are diagnosed with diabetes each year. That's just as well, since the number continues to grow and will more than double in the next 25 years, according to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF), the leading charitable funder and advocate of type 1 (juvenile) diabetes research worldwide.

Helping the scientists is a leading lip care provider that is working with JDRF to help increase knowledge about juvenile diabetes.

As a way to support the cause, the company is donating over $100,000 from specially marked packages of a new lip balm, Gentle Sense, to the JDRF. The lip balm is designed for the entire family and contains all-natural moisturizers to provide comforting hydration. It does not contain sensitizing ingredients that can sometimes irritate the lips, making this suitable for even the most tender lips.

"As a privately owned, family-focused company, we are committed to supporting worthy causes, particularly those that have an impact on every family member," says Blistex President Mike Donnantuono. "We want to contribute to JDRF's goal of finding a cure for juvenile diabetes, a growing issue for many families across the country."

The lip care specialists at Blistex offer a full, innovative and differentiated product line-with highly effective formulas, unique added benefits and unparalleled sensory experiences-to address a broad spectrum of lip needs for men and women.

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It may sound like a cell phone, but it's an insulin pump. That similarity means Erin, 15, often has to educate her teachers and coaches about the device she uses to treat her diabetes.

"When I took my SATs the teacher told us that if she heard anything beeping, she would take the test away," said the Bay Shore, Long Island, teenager.

Life can be a challenge for a child with type 1 diabetes, one of the fastest-growing health epidemics in the country. That child faces a daily physical regimen that includes multiple insulin injections or an insulin pump, numerous pricks to test blood sugar levels and carefully balancing both food intake and exercise. Even so, the psychological and social challenges can be the most difficult parts of the disease-and that applies to the entire family.

"I worry about what happens when my son gets older and I'm no longer involved in nearly all his activities," says Nancy, another New Yorker, of her 6-year-old, Jack, who has to test his blood sugar six to eight times each day.

For families like hers, organizations such as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA) offer Web sites and support groups, including chat rooms, tailored specifically to children, teenagers and parents coping with the disease.

People with diabetes can also use the Internet to purchase prescriptions and supplies online, often at a discounted rate, through companies such as Better Living Now.

When 6-year-old Jack was asked what he wanted to say about diabetes, Jack said, "I want a cure."

Until one is found, JDRF, ADA and Better Living Now will keep working to help make life a little easier for those with diabetes.

Life can be a challenge for children with type 1 diabetes and their families. Fortunately, online resources can help.

In addition to managing insurance claims and paperwork over the phone toll-free (877-238-5486) or online at the company-a presenting sponsor of the JDRF "Walk to Cure Diabetes"-offers resources including diabetes educators, pharmacists, links to diabetes research and education resources.

The treatment of diabetes is highly individualized. It will depend on the type of diabetes, whether you have other active medical problems, as well as your age and general health at time of diagnosis. However, one fact remains constant in treatment: if you have diabetes, you must make healthier lifestyle choices in diet, exercise, and other habits. These will help to improve glycemic (blood sugar) control and prevent or minimize complications of diabetes.

Diet: A healthy diet is key to controlling blood sugar levels and preventing diabetes complications.

*If you are obese and have had difficulty losing weight on your own, talk to your health care provider. He or she can recommend a dietician or a weight modification program to help you reach your goal.

*Eat a consistent, well-balanced diet that is high in fibre, low in saturated fat, and low in concentrated sugars.

*A consistent diet that includes roughly the same number of calories at about the same times of day helps your health care provider prescribe the correct dose of medication or insulin.

*It will also help to keep your blood sugar at a relatively even level and avoid excessively low or high blood sugar levels, which can be dangerous and even life threatening.

Exercise: Regular exercise, in any form, can help reduce the risk of developing diabetes. Activity can also reduce the risk of developing complications of diabetes such as heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, blindness, and leg ulcers.

*As little as 20 minutes of walking 3 times a week has a proven beneficial effect. Any exercise is beneficial; no matter how light or how long, some exercise is better than no exercise.

*If you have complications of diabetes (eye, kidney, or nerve problems), you may be limited both in type of exercise and amount of exercise you can safely do without worsening your condition. Consult with your health care provider before starting any exercise program.

Alcohol use: Moderate or eliminate your consumption of alcohol. Try to have no more than 7 alcoholic drinks in a week and never more than 2-3 in an evening. One drink is considered 1.5 ounces of liquor, 6 ounces of wine, or 12 ounces of beer. Excessive alcohol use is a known risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Alcohol consumption can cause low or high blood sugar levels, nerve pain called neuritis, and increase in triglycerides, which is a type of fat in our blood.

Smoking: If you have diabetes, and you smoke cigarettes or use any other form of tobacco, you are raising your risks markedly for nearly all of the complications of diabetes. Smoking damages blood vessels and contributes to heart disease, stroke, and poor circulation in the limbs. If you need help quitting, talk to your health care provider.

Self-monitored blood glucose: Check your blood sugar levels frequently, at least before meals and at bedtime, and record the results in a logbook.

*This log should also include your insulin or oral medication doses and times, when and what you ate, when and for how long you exercised, and any significant events of the day such as high or low blood sugar levels and how you treated the problem.

*Better equipment now available makes testing your blood sugar levels less painful and less complicated than ever. Your daily blood sugar diary is invaluable to your health care provider in seeing how you are responding to medications, diet, and exercise in the treatment of your diabetes.

*Medicare now pays for diabetic testing supplies, as do many private insurers and Medicaid.

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Diabetes has long been regarded as a risk factor of heart disease. The specific relationship between the two was unclear although diabetes is known to double the risk of heart disease. As a result, many people living with diabetes have to monitor their health for well-known risk factors for heart disease, such as obesity, cholesterol levels and blood pressure. Despite the fact that the role of blood sugar levels in managing their risk of developing cardiovascular disease remains as a big unknown, diabetics are still advised to achieve a well-controlled level of blood sugar.

In 2004, researchers from United States revealed that a new blood test (at that time) can predict risk of developing heart disease for people with diabetes.

Two separate studies had suggested that people with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes should regularly take the hemoglobin A1c test, on top of their regular checks of blood sugar. The HA1c test looks for glycated hemoglobin, also called glycosylated hemoglobin, and is a measure of how well blood sugar is controlled.

In one study, the researchers at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore reanalyzed the data from 13 studies involving nearly 10,000 people from North America and Europe, and found that those with higher levels had much higher risks of heart and artery disease.

Being published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the research reported that 1 percent point increase in HA1c predicted an 18 percent increase in risk for total cardiovascular disease and a 28 per cent risk for peripheral vascular disease (clogged arteries in the legs).

Similar results were found in the second study. The researchers from the Cambridge University and Britain's Medical Research Council studied 10,030 people aged between 45 and 79 for 6 years. They found that a 21 percent increase in cardiovascular "events" such as heart attack, for every 1 percent point increase in hemoglobin A1c above 5 percent. Persons with HA1c concentrations less than 5 percent had the lowest rates of cardiovascular disease and mortality. This was true even when patients were older and fatter and regardless of blood pressure or cholesterol levels.

In conclusion, the 2 studies clearly prove that the glycosylated hemoglobin level is an independent progressive risk factor for incident cardiovascular events, regardless of diabetes status. Glycosylated hemoglobin level can be added to the list of other clearly established indicators of cardiovascular risk, such as blood pressure and cholesterol level.

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What is Pre-diabetes? This is a fact that before developing diabetes mellitus type 2, almost always that patient develops Pre-diabetes condition. Though we will not diagnose that person as diabetic, but if he or she will not control his or her blood suger level, he will probably have diabetes mellitus in future. In pre-diabetes, blood sugar levels are in higher limits, but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes mellitus. In USA only, more than 54 million people have pre-diabetes condition.During pre-diabetes damage to heart and circulatory system may already be occuring.

Various studies have shown that if you control your pre-diabetes condition earlier, then there are very less chances to develop type 2 diabetes mellitus, or you can delay it to develop. So always try to manage your blood glucose under control limits when you are in pre-diabetic stage to prevent yourself from developing type 2 diabetes.

Do you have Pre-diabetes Condition, How to Tell? There are two important tests that can tell you that you are having pre-diabetes condition. 1-The fasting plasma glucose test (FPG) 2: Oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). Your doctor can do any of these two tests. Fasting Plasma Glucose Test values for pre-diabetes are between 100mg/dl to 125mg/dl. If your glucose level is below 100mg/dl, then you have normal metabolism, if above 125mg/dl then you have Diabetes. It means if your level is between 100-125mg/dl, then you will have pre-diabetes. In case of OGTT, if less than 140mg/dl, then normal, between 140-200mg/dl is pre-diabetic condition and above 200mg/dl is diabetic condition.

How you can prevent pre-diabetes? Pre-diabetes can be very lethal to your health if you will not manage it seriously. Sooner or later you will probably have type 2 diabetes. There are two simple things that you can do to get rid of this pre-diabetes situation. You can also even get your glucose level within normal limits if you follow these 3 steps. A: Change in your diet habit. Try to avoid sweets in your diet. B: Half hour moderate exercise C: Weight reduction. Just 30 minutes daily moderate physical activity or exercise, along with a 5-10% reduction in body weight, can produce a 58% reduction in diabetes

Who should get tested for pre-diabetes? If you are overweight and above 45 years of age, then you should have your FPG and OGTT. If you are not overweight and above 45, should consult your doctor. If you are below 45 and overweight, you should also check your fasting plasma glucose level.

How often should I be tested? If you are having normal blood glucose levels you should have FPG test every 3 years. If you have pre-diabetes, you should be checked for type 2 diabetes every year after your diagnosis of pre-diabetes.

Children pre-diabetes Children have much less chances of developing pre-diabetes condition, however if they are very obese then one must think of pre-diabetes condition and get yourself be checked for pre-diabetes.

If you want to know more about Prediabetes Symptoms Diet Management , visit our site.

Dr.Armughan (Consultant Cardilogist , maintaining site Diabetes Symptoms Diet Diagnosis Complications Treatment

"Prevention is better than cure"

Each syllable of this wise saying is worth its weight in gold. It is applicable to any aspect of life, but it is emphatically applicable as regards your health. You can replace your TV, you can replace your car, but can you ever replace your body? Leave aside the philosophical and spiritual aspect of it. What a great feeling it is to live as a healthy person!

Diabetes is such a disease, if you once join its company, to wriggle out of its influence is very difficult, sometimes impossible!

Diabetes does not give you the exact symptoms of its arrival. You need to be alert and your general knowledge about health related problems needs to be up to date. If you are lucky enough to trace the symptoms of the diabetes early, it will be easy for you to recoup your original health. Well begun is half done!

Some of the disturbances in the state of your normal health, should put you on inquiry, at once. Blurred vision, unusual weight loss, increased fatigue without reason, frequent urination are some of the definite indications. Of the millions and millions who have diabetes, it is surprising that 25% of them don't even know that the disease has taken hold of them.

What could be the causes of diabetes? Why such a large number of people are attacked by this disease? The reasons could be many. That is being overweight, carrying heredity factors, and overeating habits and inactive daily routine with no exercising.

Diabetes is broadly categorized into two types. Type I and Type II. Children and young adults get the type I diabetes. People in this category, if they suffer from blindness, kidney damage and heart disease, "diabetes" in all probability, will join the band. When your body is unable to produce the required level of insulin, and is unable to utilize the sugar intake from the various types of foods that you take, you are suffering from Type II diabetes.

Apart from the food intake, if you are continuously depressed, that could take you to the doors of diabetes. When the body doesn't get the proper exercise, and the mind doesn't n get the happy exercise, it will lead to negativities in all aspects of your life.

It is the opportune time for the diabetes to find its entry gate with in your body. So your mind level vibrations need also to be positive. The mind level and body level negativities are responsible for the entry and sustenance of diabetes.

To get more information on diabetes, symptoms of diabetes and diabetes-treatment visit

The statistics are alarming: Two out of three people diagnosed with diabetes are not managing their disease properly. That is why world-class golfer Scott Verplank has joined forces with Novo Nordisk, world leader in diabetes care, to help encourage the estimated 20.8 million Americans living with diabetes to take control of their condition so they can live longer, healthier lives.

Diabetes is a progressive, chronic disease that, when not treated properly, can lead to serious complications, such as kidney disease, limb amputations and blindness. However, advances in treatment, including modern insulin and insulin delivery technology, have made it easier and more convenient to manage the disease.

"With the right treatment, exercise and diet, diabetes does not have to stop anyone from living a long, active life. It has not stopped me from becoming a world-class golfer," said Verplank. "Thanks to modern insulin and insulin delivery devices that make living with diabetes easier, I can manage my diabetes in challenging circumstances, such as an unpredictable travel schedule, irregular eating, and playing golf for several hours a day in extreme temperatures."

Once diagnosed, people with diabetes can take control of it with the treatment that is right for them, which may include changes to diet and lifestyle. To encourage people living with diabetes to realize their potential, Verplank suggests some easy-to-follow tips:

• Set reasonable goals: Start small. It will be easier to feel a sense of accomplishment. Consider walking 10-15 minutes, three times a week. Be more regular in monitoring your blood sugar. Take advantage of tips from your physician and DiabetesA

• Organize your environment for success: It is easier to adopt healthy habits if you plan a bit in advance. For example, keeping high-sugar or high-fat foods off your shopping list now means they won't be around to tempt you later.

• Learn from others: Find people who are successful in controlling their diabetes. Talk with them. Ask questions. Tell your story. Everyone can benefit by sharing success and challenges.

For more information, visit DiabetesA or call (800) 260-3730.

Through diet, exercise and insulin treatment, Scott Verplank's diabetes isn't stopping him from being one of the top-ranked golfers in the world.

While it is true that gestational diabetes will only affect 5% of all pregnant women, for those who have it, it's a very serious health issue. You'll need to keep a close eye on what you eat and have a very well balanced diet more than ever for the rest of your pregnancy if you have developed gestational diabetes.

How does gestational diabetes occur? Gestational diabetes develops when your body isn't able to produce or use insulin, which controls the sugar in your blood. When large amounts of glucose builds up in your blood, your cells aren't getting the energy they need. High blood sugar levels can be harmful to not only you, but your baby as well. This is why doctors test every pregnant mother to be at around 26 weeks of pregnancy.

By following a specific diet you can usually keep your blood sugar level under control. Of course, your doctor will help you with a diet especially suited for you. This diet is made based on your weight, height, physical activity, and the needs of your growing baby, as well as your level of glucose intolerance.

There is also a good amount of information on the Internet in regards to a gestational diabetes diet. This article simply brings some of the basics together. Be sure to always consult with your doctor or dietitian before making any changes to your diet.

One of the important points is to eat a variety of foods every day. Distribute calories and carbohydrates evenly during the day. Eating well balanced meals is a key to success. The American Diabetes Association suggests that you eat three small to moderate sized meals and two to four snacks every day, including an after dinner snack.

Keep in mind that you do not want to skip any meals. This can have a negative effect on your blood sugar levels and create potential problems.

Drink milk in moderation. Since milk is high in lactose, which is a simple sugar, drinking more than two or three glasses a day may do you more harm than good. Other sources of calcium are available. Try for example club soda with a squeeze of lemon or orange, or unsweetened decaffeinated iced tea.

Exercise will have a positive effect on keeping your glucose levels normal. Be sure you consult with your doctor to see how intense your exercise can be. You don't want to overdo it because it can actually be harmful for gestational diabetes.

Keeping your gestational diabetes under control during pregnancy may seem somewhat difficult, but you can do it. Follow the recommendations from your health care professional and you'll get through your pregnancy with flying colors.

You can find more information on Pregnancy And Gestational Diabetes as well as more information on pregnancy at

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, insulin shots may become a part of your daily routine. For many diabetics, injecting insulin is a task that must get done on a pretty regular basis. If you are just starting out and especially if needles make you a bit uncomfortable, the thought of having to inject yourself may make you somewhat scared. Don't panic, with a little practice and the right technique, injecting insulin will become an easy part of your diabetes management routine.

In reality, insulin injections are almost painless; having to prick your finger with a lancet device to test your blood sugar levels is far more painful that injecting insulin. Learning the right technique to inject your insulin will mean more effectiveness and less pain. This article will teach you some insulin delivery basics that will help you do just that.

Using a syringe or an insulin pen, insulin is injected into the fat under the skin. It can be injected into the abdomen, the thighs, the upper arms or the buttocks. Insulin is absorbed a lot quicker when it is injected into the abdomen or upper arms, something to keep in mind when you are trying to decide where to inject yourself at a certain time. You should rotate sites on a daily basis, and if you do use the same area again, try to inject yourself at least one inch away from where you last injected the insulin.

To begin, gather your supplies: your insulin, your syringe or insulin pen and sharps container. It is not necessary to use an alcohol swab as it will just make the injection far more painful. Remember to make sure to wash your hands thoroughly and that the injection site is clean before delivering the insulin.

If you are using clear insulin, you do not need to mix it, but if you are using cloudy insulin, you must. Never shake it. Put it in between the palms of your hands and roll it back and forth gently between your fingers. Now, remove the cap from the needle and pull the plunger back to insert the same amount of air into the syringe as the amount of insulin that you are going to inject. Insert the needle into the insulin bottle and push the plunger to insert the air inside the syringe into the bottle.

Turn the insulin bottle upside down and start drawing out the insulin slowly, making sure that there are no air bubbles. When you have reached the needed unit mark, pull the needle out and get ready to inject.

Once you have chosen your injection site and you have made sure that the site is clean, you are now ready to inject. Pinch the small area of skin surrounding the injection site gently with one hand. Hold the syringe with the other hand like you would a pencil and insert the needle straight into the skin at a 90 degree angle. If you do not have much body fat, you might need to inject at a 45 degree angle.

Push down slowly on the plunger to begin to deliver the insulin. After you have finished injecting the dose, leave the needle in for at least five seconds, to prevent any insulin from leaking out. Pull the needle straight out and dispose of it in your sharps container.

Conclusion

If you have just been diagnosed with diabetes or have recently started insulin treatment, it may be a little scary to think that you have to inject yourself on a regular basis. But if you learn the right techniques and become confident and efficient, injecting insulin will be an easy part of your regular diabetes management routine that you will barely think .

For more information on insulin and diabetes, please visit Jesus Chirino is webmaster of Your Life with Diabetes, a website dedicated to providing free diabetes information and resources.

Juvenile diabetes or Type 1 diabetes is common among children. Every year, around 13,000 new cases of Juvenile diabetes are reported in America. True to its name, it mostly attacks the children but adults as well come into its hold.

In juvenile diabetes, shortage of supply of insulin and glucose builds up in the bloodstream as cells are unable to use it. The body is unable to use the entire glucose because it is available in the bloodstream only.

This increases hunger. You consume more food, but suffer from fatigue. Frequent urination is another symptom of this type of diabetes. What happens later is insulin producing beta cells of the pancreas are totally destroyed by body's own immune system. Hence the necessity arises to get the supply of insulin from the outside sources.

Some other specific symptoms of Type I diabetes are:

In women, absence of menstruation, blurred vision, nausea and vomiting mark the arrival of this disease. Unbearable abdominal pain, abrupt weight loss despite normal or increased appetite, exhaustion when you walk short distances, more exhaustion if you climb are the other common symptoms.

You can not arrive at the final conclusion with regard to the diabetes condition with the presence of the above conditions alone. For further confirmation, diagnostic approach is also necessary. The most desirable test is insulin test. This test gives the firm indications/results, whether you have the diabetes or not.

As soon as the symptoms re-confirmed, hospitalization is the initial step to regulate the insulin level. But diabetes is not a disease that has the guaranteed cure. Though, it can be controlled with apt care. There is also the fear of Type I diabetes turning to Type II diabetes. You need to understand your diabetes in proper perspective by knowing about the diabetic related problems. Call it diabetic education. Dietary changes are inevitable as diet is the important factor for curbing as well as increasing the diabetes condition.

Take control of the disease; never allow it to take control of you. If you ignore the disease at the initial stages, it may lead to several other types of serious diseases such as high blood pressure, heart related diseases and paralysis.

To get more information on diabetes, type 1 diabetes and juvenile diabetes visit

Despite the possible presence of contaminants in fish, benefits of eating fish cannot be denied as supported by numerous researches and studies. Fish contain omega-3 fatty acid that helps reduce the risk of heart disease.

One possible way to prevent one from taking contaminated fish is to consume carefully selected fish oil supplements. Techniques such as molecular distillation that employing pressure and temperature, can purify possible environmental pollutants contained in fish.

There are plenty of fish oil supplements available in the market. Their quality and potency, however, can differ widely. One should take note that diarrhea and other minor discomfort can often occur by taking supplements that turn rancid or that contain ingredients that are not adequately purified.

Another important issue if dosage. Fish oil can help the heart by thinning the blood. High levels of fish oil might increase the risk of bleeding, and may cause harm instead if combined with blood thinning medication. If one is on medication pertaining to cardiovascular treatment, he or she should seek advice from the doctor about the appropriate dosage before taking any fish oil supplement.

When choosing fish oil, it is also necessary to note their levels of fatty acids that offer the kind of healthy benefits required. For example, 1000 mg of fish oil with 180 mg of EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid) and 120 mg of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid) provide 300 mg (not 1000 mg) of omega-3 fats.

Besides omega-3, consumers should look at other ingredients such as vitamin A and D in cod liver oil and added vitamin E in fish oil, as these may not be good for everybody. Fish oil supplements may be beneficial only for those with high triglyceride levels in reducing the levels.

Triglycerides are the chemical form in which fat exists in the body. High levels increase risk of hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease. This is because a single fish oil capsule contains about 30 times the amount of omega-3 fatty acids as a single fish portion. On average, a 113.5 g serving of oily fish contains about 1.5g of omega-3 fatty acids.

Most regulators stipulate a level of purity but standards vary considerably. The European Union standards are among the strictest, being more cautious than those imposed by the FDA in United States. Environmental Defense, a United States non-profit organization, has conducted an international study of fish and fish oil supplements. The group helps consumers decide how to obtain adequate amounts of omega-3 fatty acids without contaminants. Three brands that are on the list of "Best Choice" supplements are Nordic Naturals, which is made in Norway, and Shaklee and Usana brands, which are made in the United States. These brands certify that their supplements are free from heavy metals, dioxins, and PCBs.

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Millions of children could end up with diabetes, heart disease, and other problems linked to being overweight and their parents are not even aware of it. A UK research on a 12-year study of 300 children and their families in the British city of Plymouth found that many school children were overweight but their parents did not believe it.

The study discovered that one-third of mothers and half the fathers who were either overweight or obese rated themselves "about right". A third of obese girls and half of the obese boys also were rated by their parents as weighing "about right". When the weight that physicians know to be unhealthy is considered alright by the public, as one of the researchers said, major health problems are on the horizon.

The fact that parents are unaware of overweight and obesity in their children means that there will be a lack of critical partners in an effort to halt a developing epidemic. It is known that close to two-thirds of the children in UK were overweight or obese.

On the other hand, do you know that, overweight children are 3 to 4 times more likely than those of normal weight to have a heart attack or stroke before the age of 65?

This is because their arteries are in a similar, thickened condition as those of a 45-year-old adult who has been smoking for more than 10 years, according to researchers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong in Hong Kong in a report in the journal Circulation.

54 boys and 28 girls with an average age of 9.9 years were studied. Nevertheless, the damage can be reversed by diet and regular exercise. The children in the study were put on a low-calorie diet for 6 weeks and half took part in a 75-minute exercise program twice a week. After 6 weeks, all the children had lost weight. Using ultrasound, the researchers also found that the responsiveness of an artery in the arm to increased blood flow improved. Children who had exercised as well as dieted had a bigger improvement than those who had only dieted.

Follow-up tests after a year showed that those who had continued exercising had less thickening of the carotid arteries, which are in the neck.

The finding highlights the importance of regular exercise in preventing obesity-related vascular dysfunction in children. However, it is more important and easier to prevent obesity and its associated problems than reverse them.

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Children grow fast. Diabetes in children is growing faster.

Well, diabetes in children is a recent phenomenon. Anything that is a recent phenomenon, lead us to the question mark, why and from where this disease has cropped up? What are the reasons for its arrival? When the reasons for its arrival are identified, the plans for its departure can also be formulated.

Juvenile diabetes is also known as Type I diabetes. This type of diabetes requires a regular shot of insulin for sustaining the body function! A child requiring insulin shots on regular basis- what a heart-rending sight it is! Many Children now have Type II diabetes also which was once considered as the disease that can attack only the adult population.

Whatever be the disease, you need first to know the root cause of the disease. Only by understanding the disease, you can decide the right course of treatment for it.

Even if there is a history of diabetes in the family, you should be careful about the factors that worked to make your child diabetic. Know for sure, why your child's immune system should begin to generate cells that destroy the pancreatic cells responsible for producing insulin in the body at such a young age.

And now that juvenile diabetes is a reality with the life of your kid, to treat it is a double responsibility for you. Prepare the mind of the child to face the reality. Monitor his food intake and see whether your child is sticking to the schedule of exercises that you have framed for it in consultation with the medical practitioner. For, the first lifestyle change required in the child suffering from juvenile diabetes is regarding the diet.

This is the major part of the treatment along the medications. The concept of healthy living needs to be implanted into the mind of your child. Fast and junk foods are not good for the health of your child as such they should be removed from the list of its diet. Moreover, there should be a family discipline in eating the food. Don't eat when driving the car or while watching TV. Instead of giving heavy food to the child three times a day, give light food a number of times.

If your child is fond of fried potato chips, substitute it with dried fruits, variety of nuts instead. Take out the white bread from its menu and substitute it with whole grain bread. Avoid deep fried foods. Before the meals, give plenty of salads. Try to inculcate the habit of eating raw vegetables like carrot or fruits dipped in yogurt.

Make exercise and walking a family habit. This is all for modeling a healthy life style for curing your child of diabetes now.

To get more information on diabetes, type 1 diabetes and juvenile diabetes visit

Mayonnaise, cream cheese, and any other tasty spread that are favored by people in the past are quickly replaced by nut butters. And the growing concern over peanut allergies and aflatoxin (a harmful mould found in peanuts) will definitely arouse interest in creating alternatives to a favorite comfort food.

All nut butters share the stellar nutritional profile of peanut butter. Some are even better. Nut butters are loaded with vitamin E, fiber, magnesium, zinc, iron, and heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, which can help the blood thin and prevent platelets from clotting and sticking to arterial walls.

According to research, women who eat nuts are 40 percent less likely to die from heart disease than those who never eat nuts. In fact, nearly all nuts are high in naturally occurring cholesterol-lowering compounds called phytosterols. So, nut and nut butter lovers who consume several times a week tend to have a healthier ratio of "good" to "bad" cholesterol. For an extra cholesterol-lowering punch, try pistachio nut butter. A new study shows that pistachios and sunflower seeds contain the most phytosterols of commonly eaten seeds and nuts.

Nut butters not only can prevent heart disease but also are good for energy production, hormonal balance, and anti-ageing. New research has focused on their beneficial impact on blood sugar.

A study conducted by Harvard University found that women who consumed 5 tablespoons of peanut butter a week had a lower risk of developing Type-2 diabetes, compared to those who never ate peanut butter. Nuts and their butters do contain high calorie and fat content (one tablespoon of nut or seed butter contains 80 to 100 calories and 7 to 10 grams of mostly unsaturated fat), but they have consistently been confirmed by research that they do not contribute to weight gain. The Harvard research has reported that women who consumed more nut and nut butters had a lower body mass index than those who abstained from nuts.

Nuts and nut butters promote satiety and may assist in weight loss because they help people feel full for longer. One tablespoon of nut butters spreading on bagels or toast is not considered too much, especially when it can prevent you from snacking on other high calorie foods or replace the high-fat spreads like butter, mayonnaise and cream cheese. They will help you keep your weight in check.

Besides peanut butter and jelly, you can have other alternatives:

- add sweet or savory spices such as cinnamon, cardamom, or cumin, to a tahini salad dressing mixed with equal parts yogurt and orange juice,

-use nut butters as a crust on fish or chicken,

- kick up the flavor in the favorite sandwich by replacing mayonnaise with a little almond butter or tahini.

Former Heart Surgeon Reveals ... How to prevent and even reverse heart disease - without drugs or surgery. Read more about Dr Robert's confession at: Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included.

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Following from my previous article, here are the 7 tips that can help women prevent heart disease after menopause:

Tip 1 – Stop Smoking

Cigarette smoking is the leading preventable cause of CHD in women. More than half of heart attacks in middle-aged women can be attributed to smoking. For smokers who are determined to quit, they can be referred to smoking cessation clinics by their doctor.

Tip 2 – Reduce High Cholesterol

Dietary change and exercise are good ways to reduce blood cholesterol. Regular exercise helps to raise the level of good cholesterol and improve the overall cholesterol profile. However, if the cholesterol level does not respond positively to such lifestyle changes, one should seek help from the doctor for prescribing cholesterol-lowering medication.

Tip 3 – Control High Blood Pressure

High blood pressure can be controlled by adopting a low-salt diet, engaging in regular exercise, weight reduction and appropriate medications.

Tip 4 – Manage Diabetes Mellitus

A high level of sugar in the blood accelerates the thickening and narrowing of blood vessels in the heart. Diabetes can be managed through weight reduction, exercise and medication.

Tip 5 – Engage in Regular Exercise

Lack of exercise makes the heart and body unfit, increasing the risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and high levels of cholesterol. Exercises such as brisk walking, jogging, bicycling or swimming are good for the heart. When engaging in an exercise program, a cautious start with a gradual increase in intensity is important. A regular schedule should be set and adhered to. Start with short bouts of exercise such as 15 – 20 minutes on alternative days and gradually increase the intensity of exercise until you reach the goal of 30 minutes daily. Most importantly, obtain a general cardiovascular assessment from a doctor before commencing any exercise regime.

Tip 6 – Maintain a Healthy Weight

The heart of overweight person needs to pump harder and consumes more oxygen. Overweight also increases the risk of hypertension and diabetes. Obesity can be measured using the waist-hip ratio (waist circumference divided by hip circumference) or body mass index (BMI – body weight in kilograms divided by square of height in meters). For women, a waist-hip ratio of greater than 0.9 is considered as high risk for heart disease. Likewise, a person with BMI greater than 25 is considered overweight. For one whose BMI is above 30 is considered obese. Regular exercise and a reduced calories diet can help to achieve or maintain one's ideal weight.

Tip 7 – Manage Stress

When a person is under mental stress, the heart pumps faster and the blood vessels constricted. To guard against under stress on the heart, one should try to arrange a sensible work schedule with adequate periods of rest and relaxation in between. Stress management techniques such as deep breathing, muscle relaxation, and regular exercise can also help reduce stress.

Former Heart Surgeon Reveals ... How to prevent and even reverse heart disease - without drugs or surgery. Read more about Dr Robert's confession at: Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included.

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Yoga is an ancient practice of moving the body into different poses (asanas) to achieve a healthy body, an attentive mind, and a relaxed spirit. Yoga can be used to help treat many different illnesses, including diabetes. There have been numerous clinical studies that prove the benefits that yoga has for diabetics, because many yoga poses can positively impact circulation and help regulate body systems.

Like with any other exercise regime, when you begin yoga, begin slowly at your own pace. Don't push yourself too hard. If you find a pose difficult, maintain it for a shorter length of time. Increased flexibility and strength will come from practice. Monitor your blood glucose levels before and after any period of exercise. If you feel lightheaded, or experience any unexpected symptoms during exercise, stop to monitor your blood glucose and act accordingly.

Here are a few poses that have been found to be beneficial for people with diabetes.

Uddhiyana Banda: the stomach lift

Stand with your feet spaced shoulder width apart. Lean forward at your waist and place your hands on your knees. Inhale deeply by pushing your abdomen forwards, then exhale deeply by pulling your abdomen in. Pause for five to ten seconds. Inhale deeply by pushing your abdomen forwards, then exhale deeply by pulling your abdomen. During this pause, rapidly push your stomach in and out while you are not breathing. Repeat three or four times. Stand and resume normal breathing. This pose strengthens your abs, massages your organs, and assists your nervous system.

Yoga Mudrasana: the symbol of yoga

Sit up straight with your legs crossed. Clench your fists and place them on both sides of the abdomen, just below your bellybutton. While exhaling, bend forward as low as you can, pushing your fists against your abdomen. This pose is good for helping your nervous system and preventing possible complications of diabetes. This pose can be held for three minutes once you have had much practice. Begin by simply holding it for ten seconds, however.

Dhanurasana: the bow pose

Lie on your stomach. Lift your feet towards your knees, and reach back to grasp your ankles. Lifting your legs, chest, and head, arch your back into a bow. Hold for five seconds to begin, and work your way up to thirty seconds or more at later sessions. Repeat this action four or five times. Once you have mastered this pose, try rocking gently forwards and backwards, and from side to side. This pose massages your organs. This pose is of moderate difficulty.

Halasana: the plow pose

This pose is one of the most used yogic poses. It is complicated and so should not be attempted right away. Begin by lying on your back. Raise your feet to a ninety-degree angle to your body. If you are just beginning this pose, stop here, and hold your feet. If you are more advanced, lower your feet towards your head. Your pelvis will curl up and your lower back will lift from the floor. Touch your toes to the floor behind your head. If you cannot reach your toes to the floor, then simply hold the stretch where it is comfortable. Support your lower back with your hands if necessary. Once you no longer need to support your buttocks or lower back with your hands, place your hands on the ground beside your body. This pose can be held for around four minutes once you are an expert. In your early tries, begin with ten seconds or however long feels comfortable for you. This pose is not for any woman who is menstruating. This pose stretches the spine, and so helps the central nervous system. It is beneficial to all areas of the body.

At the end of any yoga practice, particularly if you are diabetic, it is important to do Savasana, the corpse pose. This is a pose of total relaxation. Lie on your back, with your eyes closed, your legs slightly spread, and your feet dropping to the sides, completely relaxed. Allow your arms to rest comfortable at your sides. Relax, simply focusing on your breathing for one to three minutes. This pose helps you focus after a yoga session and relax the muscles that you have worked.

The Sun Salutation is also recommended for diabetics. It is a series of yoga asanas. You can find many variations of the sun salutation. Try one that works best for you.

If you are uncertain about trying yoga, go to a gym or alternative medical practitioner to see if there are any yoga classes being offered in your area. There are often many classes, and you can probably go to the first class free. You can also join a pay-by-class gym where you can stop by if you want. Tell your instructor that you have diabetes, and your instructor will be able to assist you by teaching you the above poses, and by suggesting other poses such as Paschimottanasana, the sitting crane, Padangusthansana: the standing crane, Bhujangasana the serpent pose, Sarvangasana: the shoulder stand, Ardha-matsyendrasana: the spinal twist, Chakrasana: the wheel pose, and Shalabhasana the grasshopper pose. There are other poses that are beneficial to diabetics, or that will be able to help you prevent or manage any complications you might encounter.

For more information on living with diabetes, including information on prevention, diet, and medication, visit The Guide to Diabetes.

Not long ago many believed that for those who suffered from diabetes eating sweets was absolutely out of the question. Many people even thought that consuming high amounts of sugar could even cause diabetes. Today, many diabetics still have concerns when it comes to fulfilling their cravings for sweets, and many of them decide to avoid them completely. Can type 1 or type 2 diabetics consume sugar or sweets safely, or will it have a devastating effect on their blood glucose levels? Let us find out what the latest medical research has revealed.

Research has shown that when a diabetic indulges in eating sweets, blood glucose levels rise a little quicker, but they don't rise anymore than when any other type of carbohydrate is consumed. This reveals that a diabetic can enjoy sweets and sugar in moderation given that they take the needed precautions to maintain in track with a balanced diet and keep their blood sugar levels under control. This is definitely great news for those that have a weakness for the sweet stuff!

Remember, you must be careful. The key to be able to enjoy sweets without major repercussions is to take precaution and to use moderation. You must substitute other carbohydrates in your meal plan for the sweets that you intend to consume. For example, you could substitute a portion of baked potatoes at dinner time for a small piece of cake. Because it is almost impossible to substitute the exact amount of carbs in your diet for those of the sweets you are planning on having, it is always important to have small portions of the sugars to stay on the healthy side.

Keep in mind also that most sweets do not provide you with any nutritional value, so you must make sure that you will still get all the nutrients and vitamins you need from your die, no matter what you substitute. Remember also that sweets are high in calories and fat. If you are trying to loose weight, eating sweets might make your weight loss goals more difficult and time consuming.

A good option are sugar alcohols, a type of reduced calorie sweetener that only provides around half of the calories of regular sugars. Another good option are low calorie sweeteners, they do not count as carbs and have no calories. The substitutes could help you enjoy the sweet taste that you love while helping you stay on track with your weight and your blood sugar levels.

It is important to always follow a healthy diet and regular exercise routine, and when deciding to indulge in sweets, remember to make the needed adjustments in your diet. Always check your blood sugar levels after desert, and keep track of how your body reacts and how it handles what you are eating. Knowing your body well is a great way of staying healthy.

If you have diabetes and you love sweets, the great news is that you do not have to say goodbye to them forever. But remember, moderation is vital for your health. If you follow good eating habits, a healthy diet and monitor your glucose levels regularly, you will be able to live healthy and occasionally enjoy sweets now and for a ling time to come!

For more information on diabetes and a healthy diabetic diet, visit Jesus Chirino is webmaster of Your Life with Diabetes, a website dedicated to providing free diabetes information and resources.

Being fit but fat is simply not good enough. Excess weight can take years off your life, even if you get plenty of exercise. This was the finding of a study published in 2004 in New England Journal of Medicine.

The study was based on questionnaires used in the Nurses' Healthy Study, which followed more than 116,000 female nurses for 24 years, and on death certificates and medical records.

Women who were active but obese had almost twice the risk of death of women who were both active and lean. Women who were sedentary but slender were 55 percent more likely to die early. Those who were both sedentary and obese were almost 250 percent more likely to die.

Being physically active did not cancel out the increased mortality of overweight. Being lean did not counterbalance the risk effect of being sedentary. The findings would probably apply to men as well, as indicated by the study.

If you are lean but you are sedentary, do not fool yourself. You are still at risk. You need to get physical active. This is the warning given by one of the researcher. He also opposed the suggestion that if you are particularly active, you do not have to worry about your body weight, about your diet. This study, however, did not specify any particular disease that leads to the death. As we all know, obesity or over-weight can lead to many disease including heart disease, diabetes, etc.

If you had ever read my previous article – "Be Active towards Fitness", you would probably remember that when it comes to heart disease, being fit is as important as being thin, according to a report published in 2004 in the Journal of American Medical Association. This is somewhat conflicting but in the research conducted for health issues, this is not uncommon. In one study, one food or activity may be bad for our health yet in another research; it can be proven to be beneficial to us.

Another study on obesity conducted by Swedish doctors also in 2004 reported that weight loss and the protection against diabetes for patients undergoing obesity surgery like stomach stapling, etc. are major and long-lasting. The researchers looked at more than 4,000 people, about half of whom underwent surgery. The other half were advised to change their habits, or got no treatment at all.

Two years later, the surgery group had lost about 23 percent of its weight, while those in the comparison group weighed almost exactly the same. Ten years later, the comparison group had gained an average of 1.6 percent. Those who underwent surgery had regained a larger percentage – but were still 16 percent below their original weights. Many surgical patients recovered from diabetes, and the operation prevented many new cases.

Former Heart Surgeon Reveals ... How to prevent and even reverse heart disease - without drugs or surgery. Read more about Dr Robert's confession at: Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included.

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Alternative Medicine practitioners are realizing that healing herbs should be part of their arsenal against disease. The newest touted natural herb is Capsicum, found in cayenne pepper. It has many benefits whether taken internally or externally. When taken internally, capsicum is an antibacterial which will encourage healing and deflect infections while slowing the absorption of fat in the intestines to help fight obesity. Because this natural herbal remedy is a stimulant, it improves circulation. Capsicum will also stabilize blood pressure and lower cholesterol. Herbalists are finding capsicum is useful in fighting a variety of ailments.

It is difficult to pinpoint exactly when the herb cayenne pepper had its start as an herbal remedy. There are no writings on Capsicum in ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, or Persia. The best guess that historians are willing to put forward is that cayenne went to India and China some time in the 14th or 15th century. It is believed that Europe started cultivation around the 16th century. Today cayenne is still a popular herb in the food industry. Now because of well designed and implemented clinical studies it is widely accepted as an effective alternative medicine. Pharmacopoeias of leading medical clinics from Austria, Egypt, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland support this finding.

The natural healing herb Capsicum contained in cayenne pepper is loaded with Vitamin A which is necessary for smooth skin and vision. Vitamin A has been found to be the most powerful killer of free radicals, which bombard us on a daily basis. Vitamin C is the other proponent active in capsicum. The healing properties of Vitamin C are clearing blood clots, eliminating plaque from the arteries, healing wounds and fighting colds. By starving them of oxygen, capsicum causes tumor cells to die.

Capsicum can cause a burning sensation but in time you will get used to it. The active ingredients in the herbal remedy, Capsicum, stimulate the brain and salivary glands releasing endorphins into your body. Endorphins are nature's natural painkiller giving us the feeling of pleasure. Capsicum is also the main ingredient in pain killing rubs for Arthritis and Diabetes nerve damage.

Many herbalists today recommend capsicum for such ailments as cold hands and feet, sluggish metabolisms, obesity and respiratory tract infections. Use it externally for arthritis, sore back muscles, rheumatism or sprains and bruises. One suggestion for cold feet is to wear a thin pair of socks, then get a thicker pair of socks, sprinkle the inside with cayenne pepper and put them on over the thin socks. The pepper will send a warm soothing sensation to the soles of your feet.

An interesting study was done to see if capsicum would irritate or cause ulceration in the intestines. On the contrary it was found that the herb did not harm the tract but sped up the healing of ulcers by secreting more mucosa, the protective lining of the intestines.

A very surprising result of many of the clinical tests is that capsicum raise the metabolic rate and is effective in burning the bodies fat. This has many implications for people with obesity problems. Early indications also show that capsicum slows the absorption of fat in the small intestine. These studies are on going but there are some weight loss products with capsicum that are available in your health food store.

As a tropical analgesic, capsicum, the natural herbal remedy has received wide attention by qualified health professionals. It has shown to relieve the pain of shingles as well as other skin ailments. The FDA has approved it to be used for these problems as well as rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Studies are being done to see if the herb can be effective in treating psoriasis and fibromyalgia.

When using it topically a redness or burning sensation may sometimes occur. This will disappear in two to three weeks time. Once you have received control of the pain capsicum must be used continuously for the relief to be sustained.

If you are diabetic take 3 capsules a day to help bring down your blood sugar levels. Capsicum will affect the breakdown of carbohydrates which will control the fluctuation of sugar levels after eating meals. Of course, this is still being studied in clinics around the world.

So now we have received another healing herb from Mother Nature's food pharmacy. Capsicum can be counted as a natural herbal remedy in alternative medicines available to help our ailments and relieve our pain.

Disclaimer: Always consult your Doctor or Herbalist before attempting any form of alternative medicine. This article is for informational purposes only.

Diabetes:

Living with diabetes can be a stressful time not only for you but for your family too. The condition can strike at any point during your life, from infancy through to seniority and initially be very daunting.

It's thought that in the UK alone there is around 2 million people who are Diabetic. However, perhaps more worryingly is this figure is likely to double within the next 10 years, mainly due to more and more people becoming overweight or obese. Capping these statistics though it is thought an estimated 1 million more people in the UK are living with Diabetes who simply don't know they have the condition.

Types Of Diabetes:

Type 1 Diabetes is mostly developed in the young and is a result of the body not being able to provide enough insulin for day to day living. This normal controlled with insulin injections and a controlled diet.

Type 2 Diabetes is mostly seen in middle aged and senior citizens. This condition is normally caused through poor diet, lack of exercise and being overweight or obese. In fact obesity is a linked strongly to this form of Diabetes.

Symptoms Of Diabetes:

The obvious symptoms of Diabetes are a constant feeling of being thirsty, lack of energy and feeling extremely tired most of the time. You may also notice sudden weight loss and frequently feel the need to urinate, especially at night.

Causes Of Diabetes:

There are two main reasons why Diabetes occurs; either the body is starved of insulin caused by the pancreas not producing sufficient amounts required for normal living. Or, the body doesn't use insulin the way it should. Both will result in an increased level of glucose in the blood. If left long enough without treatment a whole host of other problems can occur. These include kidney, eye and heart damage.

Treatment Of Diabetes:

Type 1 Diabetes is normally treated with life long insulin injections, together with a strict diet. Where as type 2 Diabetes is usually caused by the way a person lives their life. By following a strict diet and introducing regular exercise you can greatly help prevent this form of Diabetes.

Myths:

1) Diabetes can not be developed from consuming sugary snacks or high fat foods. However, type 2 diabetes is strongly linked to obesity which may have a direct result on what you eat.

2) Diabetes is not contagious

3) Diabetics can eat sugar, although careful monitoring must be adhered to.

4) Stress does not cause Diabetes. Although Stress can make Diabetes worse if you are already a Diabetic.

For more free diabetic information covering the symptoms of diabetes, diets for diabetics and lots more valuable data make sure you visit

A major global study, conducted by few Canadian doctors, reported in August 2004 that it should be possible to prevent most premature heart attacks, after finding risk factors transcended ethnic and racial divides.

The study found that heart attacks can be predicted by 9 factors that are common to Europeans, Asians, Africans, Arabs, and other ethnic groups and races. As identified by the study, the two most severe factors for premature heart disease were smoking and high abnormal ratio of blood lipids while the other 7 factors were high blood pressure, diabetes, abdominal obesity, stress, a lack of daily consumption of fruits and vegetables, excessive intake of alcohol, and a lack of exercise.

A survey of 29,000 people in 52 countries during the study proved that almost all risk factors were similar, could be detected, and therefore could be prevented. This is in contrast with the conventional wisdom that had previously suggested that only half of the risks of premature heart attack could be forecasted.

It is known that if one had already suffered and survived a heart attack, he or she will have a very high risk of getting another. However, the finding from Manchester Royal Infirmary researchers, who tracked nearly 600 patients for a year after they had suffered a heart attack, revealed that having a close relationship may save a heart attack sufferer from another heart attack. The research paper was published in the British Medical Association's journal, Heart in 2004.

Patients who had a close friend, a relative or a confidant were half as likely to suffer another heart attack within the year, compared to those without any close relationships. This continued to be true even after taking into account the severity of the heart attack and other risk factors.

It was noted that those without good friends or lovers were more likely to drink heavily, smoke and take drugs, but these factors alone did not explain the increased risk. One possibility explanation is that a close friend or partner may make sure a patient seeks treatment early and sticks to it. Factors that increased the risk of recurrent heart attacks included lack of social support. It is believed that people who have no close friend or confidant may react to stress in a more pronounced fashion. This is potentially dangerous because the heart is more susceptible to arrthymias (disrupted rhythms) in the post-heart attack phase.

Former Heart Surgeon Reveals ... How to prevent and even reverse heart disease - without drugs or surgery. Read more about Dr Robert's confession at: Feel free to use this article on your website or ezine as long as the following information about author/website is included.

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