Life With Type 1 Diabetes

Whether you are living with someone who has it or not, you are most likely going to come across someone in your lifetime that has Type 1 Diabetes. There are so many common misconceptions about this disease including people's confusion between Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes. To quickly clear the air I will give you a few differences: You do not get Type 1 Diabetes from eating too much sugar or from being "fat." There's nothing you can do to cause you to get this unfortunate disease and nothing you can do to  it.


Type 1 Diabetes is a fluctuating disease that causes symptoms that you have to watch almost every second of the day. Your pancreas suddenly decides to stop producing its precious insulin that keeps your endocrine system and entire body functioning. It isn't easy to deal with; not only physically, but emotionally. There are times where you feel like you can't deal with it anymore whether you're the one with the disease or the one watching it happen to someone you love and care about.

The amount of times my younger sister (who has Type 1 Diabetes) has come home and told me what horrible things kids had said to her just because she had to monitor her glucose levels in class and treat her highs or lows in front of her classmates have made me realize how cruel kids could really be. There was a time when a child told my sisters friend to "tell her little shaky friend to stop faking it." Faking it? No one is faking it when their blood sugar drops so low that they can't talk or walk, let alone perform any other everyday function.

As a role model for my younger sister, it has been hard not to beat up some of the kids up who thought it was okay to say some of these nasty comments, or at least, give them a piece of my mind. Knowing that my sister will be looking up to me and my actions for the rest of her life has made me realize that all I can really do is remain by her side and continue to make sure she's healthy.


In case you were wondering what it's like to survive even just a few hours in the presence of a Type 1 Diabetic or to have it yourself, I'll tell you a little bit about it. There's nothing that is easy. Just because it becomes a part of your everyday routine because it has to be in order for you to survive does not mean that it isn't difficult. You learn how to manage your symptoms and prevent the worst from happening.

A Type 1 Diabetics day starts before the previous one even ends. The risk of someone's blood sugar dropping too low or rising too high while they are asleep at night can be fatal. With today's technology, there are so many ways to monitor your glucose levels. Aside from having a glucose monitor, many Type 1 Diabetics have continuous glucose monitors that show a generic estimate of where that person's blood sugar numbers are ranging. This is usually hooked up to the person's pump. The pump is one of the most important parts. It supplies the insulin to the body that the pancreas is unable to produce through a nifty little tube. That tube is constantly attached to the person through a pump site that they have to change for cleanliness and anti-infectious purposes. And if you aren't on a pump? Then you have to inject insulin into your body as needed. Now does that sound easy to handle? Didn't think so. So, enough with the tools needed and onto a simple daily run-through.


The first thing a Type 1 Diabetic should do when they wake up is check their blood sugar. Knowing where your blood sugar is ranging is super important when trying to figure out what you are going to simply eat for breakfast. Having an insulin pump means you can enter the amount of carbohydrates you will be eating into the pumps system so that it distributes the correct amount of insulin to keep your body stable. Entering carbohydrate counts into your pump means that you have to constantly be aware of the amount you are taking in. Putting those carbs into your pump is called bolusing. That has to happen before every, single meal. And what happens if you don't? Then you better be ready to treat your high with some extra insulin intake or you're low with some glucose tabs. Throughout the day, it's important to keep track of your diabetes and keep yourself healthy because the risks you may face if you don't can be deadly.

There's so much more to Type 1 Diabetes than what I've said already, but I don't want to bore you with a History Of Type 1 Diabetes lesson. Everything you should know about it is what you are about to hear next.

1. Just because this disease isn't one that is completely apparent to the naked eye does not mean that the person with the disease isn't extremely affected by it.

2. Whoever has Type 1 isn't "faking" their symptoms for attention (yeah little kid in my sister's class back when she was in fifth grade, this one's for you).

3. Type 1 Diabetics are allowed to eat sugar!!! (this one really gets me going) They actually need that sugar especially when their blood sugar is too low for them to function properly.


4. Although it probably isn't necessarily the nicest thing to do, yes, Type 1 Diabetics are allowed to move to the front of the lines at Disney World, Six Flags, and Lake Compounce because it is considered a medical handicap (apparently waiting in the lines too long can result in dangerously low blood sugar, so why not get the ride over with sooner?).

5. Type 1 Diabetes takes a huge toll on the person with the disease and the people who care for the person with the disease.

Number 5 has been something I have noticed significantly in my own family. When my sister was first diagnosed, everyone in my family was distraught. Type 1 Diabetes is life-threatening and completely alters someone's life! Everyone has to quickly learn how to take care of this disease in a matter of days in order to keep their loved one healthy. We spent a few days with my sister in the hospital while learning from many specialists how we would help my sister monitor her new disease once we were back at home. Although the news of this disease was so negative, there has been so many great events that have come of Type 1 Diabetes in our family. Our family has grown through the amazing JDRF program (Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation). Their program supports families and individuals with Type 1 Diabetes in order to make their life with the disease more manageable. Our family has met so many great people because of the program and the disease.
com/ Type 1 Diabetes isn't something I would wish on anyone. It completely alters life as you once knew it. Overall, I'm thankful that the experience my family has had with it has been so positive from the start.
source:http://theodysseyonline.com/

3 Ingredient Smoothie Recipe to Prevent Chronic Knee and Joint Pain

Knees make an important part of your skeletal structure and physical strength. They support your body and yes, your knees are the reason you walk. Knee pain is triggered by an array of underlying causes. It may be even your shoes that give you trouble.



If you like walking around in flip-flops, your tendons are probably sore or tight. In this case, get proper rest and do some quality stretching. Do not blame it on weather or exercising, it is just your flip-flops. Eventually, the pain may rise high up to your hips and spine.

Walking barefoot is great for you, and you are definitely getting it wrong by comparing it to walking with your favorite flip-flops.
The pain in your knees strikes out of nowhere, and the pressure on your tendons and ligaments only makes it worse.

Knee pain is common in obese people. It is the way human body responds to excess pounds and a red light that something is wrong with your organism.

And there are all the injuries that require special treatment and even surgery. We give you a natural recipe that will help you prevent sudden and severe pain in your knees.

Each of the ingredients you need is packed with strong anti-inflammatory properties which is amazing for your tendons and ligaments.
They are high in magnesium, silicon, vitamin C, and bromelain. This tasty drink will give you all the energy and strength you need to ‘survive’ throughout the day.

Moreover, the healing smoothie contains your favorite fruit, and that is a sure bet!

Ingredients:

1 cup oatmeal
1 cup water (250ml)
2 cup pineapple chunks
40g raw honey
40g almonds, crushed
7g cinnamon powder
1 cup fresh orange juice
Preparation:

Cook your oatmeal as usual. Just boil it for several minutes, that is all.
Add a cup of fresh orange juice to the oatmeal.
Blend almonds, honey, pineapple chunks and cinnamon together.
Add your oatmeal mixture to the blender.
Blend until the ingredients are well combined.
Dump in a few ice cubes and enjoy your pain-relieving smoothie!
You can just blend all the ingredients together, but cooked oatmeal gives your smoothie a better consistency.
It is up to you to decide what works best for you.
source:http://www.healthyfoodhouse.com/

16 Early Warning Signs Your Liver is Sluggish and Toxins Are Being Stored in Your Fat Cells

The liver is a vital body organ as it performs more than 400 functions, including the one to filter out the waste and toxins from our organism. The primary task of the liver is the conversion of toxins into safe waste that is to be excreted from the body afterward.



It is responsible for a substantial part of the overall health. However, if you consume a healthy diet rich in important nutrients, the liver will optimally perform its functions, and it will not be overburdened, but if the food you consume is not healthy, it may become sluggish as a result of the accumulated toxins.

The liver can eliminate these toxins in two phases. The first consists of using enzymes to turn the lipid-soluble toxins into less damaging compounds that can be further on detoxified in the second phase.

The second phase includes the pairing of the toxins with other molecules that boost their water-solubility, to be safely eliminated from the body.

Even if you eat a healthy diet and lifestyle, you need to use personal care and cleaning products that contain no toxins. Namely, there are also toxins in our environment, in the water, air, soil, plastics, factories and the like.

As we previously mentioned, when the liver has become sluggish, the toxins face a difficulty to leave the body, and since they are lipid- soluble, they get accumulated in the fat tissue. This may lead to excess weight.

Therefore, it is critical that you stimulate the function of your liver by following a holistic approach. Hence, you need to know the symptoms that indicate that your liver has become sluggish and needs  detoxification:

Pessimistic emotions;
Hormonal imbalances;
Lethargy/feeling drained/ brain fog;
Migraines/ headaches behind the eyes/ dull headaches relieved with rest;
Chronic muscle or joint pain;
Excessive perspiration;
Weight gain without any evident reason;
Chronic fatigue;
Abdominal pain, constipation, gases, diarrhea, bloating;
Issues digesting fats;
Chronic bad breath;
Chemical sensitivities;
Gall bladder removed;
Allergies;
Depression and anxiety;
Acne or skin disorders.
In this case, you need to help your body solve the issue and stimulate the liver to properly do its function and eliminate the dangerous toxins, as follows:

Eat a balanced diet;
Avoid inflammatory oils;
Avoid refined sugar;
Reduce the consumption of fructose (20-25 gr. per day);
Eliminate GMO products and buy only organic foods;
Use food sources of sulfur;
Eat animal-based and plant-based sources of amino acids;
Reduce or eliminate alcohol;
Increase the consumption of green leafy vegetables;
Increase the consumption of healthy fats;
Consume enough fiber;
Drink sufficient amounts of pure water.
Moreover, the following three natural products are the best ones you can use to restore the proper function of your liver:

1.Turmeric – Its active ingredient, curcumin, is a powerful anti-inflammatory. It has numerous health beneficial properties, like helping the enzymes responsible for the elimination of the dietary carcinogens. Due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory abilities, it additionally protects the liver against damage, and regenerates the affected cells. Note that in order to boost its absorption, you need to combine it with black pepper.

2. Milk thistle – The active component of milk thistle has strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral and anti-fibrotic properties, so it prevents liver damage due to toxins, viruses, drugs and alcohol.

3. Globe artichoke – Since it is high in fiber, it protects and enhances the liver activity and boosts the bile production. It helps the elimination of bile and decreases LDL cholesterol.
source:http://www.healthyfoodhouse.com/

3 Coconut Flour Mug Cake Recipes, GF, paleo + low carb

Mug Cakes are a perfect quick solution to that sudden sweet craving. These 3 recipes are made with coconut flour, which makes them  gluten free and paleo-friendly!

If you have never had a mug cake before, you may be skeptical of the idea of cake made in the microwave. I know, I was. Still, give them a try.



You will just fall in love with these warm, fluffy bites of cake spooned right out of a mug. The texture is pleasantly moist and pretty much just melts in your mouth!

Also, they are just so quick and easy. Nothing beats enjoying warm cake, from scratch, in less than 5 minutes. I usually am done putting away all ingredients and wiping the counter before the microwave beeps!

Here are some tips to make your Coconut Flour Mug Cakes a success:
Although you could prepare the batter right in the mug, to ensure even mixing, stir everything very well in a small bowl and then transfer to your mug.
Using a straight-sided mug ensures the cake is cooked evenly. It should fit at least 12 fl.oz. (Or divide the batter into small tea cups for several small desserts.)
Microwaves differ. These recipes all take about 2.5 minutes on high, but check at 2 minutes until you figure out your microwave's sweet spot.
Let the mug cakes cool for a couple minutes before you dig in. But you do want to enjoy them warm.
Top the cakes to your hearts desire with whipped (coconut) cream, chocolate chips, nuts etc.

Peanut Butter Mug Cake

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons coconut flour
¼ teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter*
1-½ tablespoons melted coconut oil
1-½ tablespoons maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
1 tablespoon coconut milk (or almond milk)
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
optional: chocolate chips

Directions:
In a small bowl whisk together coconut flour, and baking powder.
Add egg, peanut butter, coconut oil, maple syrup, coconut milk and vanilla and mix thoroughly to combine.
Fill into a large mug  and microwave on high for about 2 ½ minutes. Start checking at about 2 minutes. Let sit for a couple minuted before eating.
Optionally top with chocolate chips or crushed peanuts.

*to make paleo: replace with almond butter or other nut or seed butter

Chocolate Mug Cake
 Ingredients:
2 tablespoons coconut flour
2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 egg
2 tablespoons coconut milk (or almond milk)
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
2 tablespoons maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
optional: 2 tablespoons chocolate chips

Directions:
In small bowl whisk together coconut flour, cocoa powder and baking powder.
Add egg, coconut milk, coconut oil, maple syrup and vanilla and mix until everything is every well combined.
Fill into a large mug  and microwave on high for about 2.5 minutes. Start checking at about 2 minutes. Let sit for a couple minuted before eating.
Optionally top with whipped coconut cream, chocolate chips or sliced almonds.

Pumpkin Mug Cake
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons coconut flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1 egg
2 tablespoons pumpkin puree
2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
1-½ tablespoons maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions:
In a small bowl whisk together coconut flour, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice.
Add egg, pumpkin puree, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla and mix thoroughly to combine.
Fill into a large mug  and microwave on high for about 2 ½ minutes. Start checking at about 2 minutes. Let sit for a couple minuted before eating.
Optionally top with chopped pecans, walnuts or chocolate chips.

source:http://www.ebay.com/

Tequila plant: the key to diabetes and weight loss?

agavins, the properties derived from the tequila plant, may actually help lower blood sugar and support weight loss, researchers from the American Chemical Society reported this week.



Research conducted on mice found that adding agavins to the rodents' water resulted in lower blood sugar levels, reduced appetite, and weight loss, when compared to other mice whose water was supplemented with sucrose, glucose, fructose or aspartame.
Agavins not metabolized by the body

Agavins, unlike other types of sweeteners, aren't absorbed by the body because they are a type of fiber, the researchers explained. This prevents blood sugar changes and it also means that agavins can help people feel full and curb appetite.

“We believe that agavins have a great potential as light sweeteners since they are sugars, highly soluble, have a low glycemic index, and a neutral taste, but most important, they are not metabolized by humans,” the study authors wrote. “This puts agavins in a tremendous position for their consumption by obese and diabetic people.”

Not to be confused with agave nectar or agave syrup, which contain fructose and therefore can raise blood sugar, agavins are long-chain fructoses that the body can't use.
Benefits could outweigh potential concerns

While the research suggests that agavins could be a viable sugar alternative for diabetics, they might also have a few drawbacks.

"Agavins don’t taste as sweet as other forms of sugar such as sucrose, fructose and glucose," reports Melanie Haiken in Forbes.

Moreover, like other fibers, agavins have the potential to cause digestive disturbances in people who are sensitive.

Still, study author Mercedes G. López, Ph.D, suggests that agavins are certainly better than artificial sweeteners.

Some research has even found that agavins can increase beneficial bacteria in the mouth and intestines.

"Agavins are not expensive and they have no known side effects, except for those few people who cannot tolerate them," López said.
source:http://www.battlediabetes.com

10 Easy Ways to Cut Sugar From Your Diet

You might not be power drinking soda or eating chocolate bars at each meal but you are probably eating sugar all day without realizing it.


Sugar is added to a lot of food that doesn’t even really taste sweet (like bread) and so when you really think about it, it would really up. The American Heart Association recommends women consume no more than six teaspoons of added sugar per day (or about 100 calories), most of us take in double that. A high sugar diet increase your risk of tooth decay, heart disease, diabetes and weight gain. Cut the amount of sugar in your diet by following these 10 tips.

sugar-sxchu
1. Read Food Labels

If you start looking at labels, you will see how often sugar is added to food. “Even things that you don’t think are sweet, like tomato sauce, crackers, condiments, and salad dressings can be packed with sugar,” says Diane Sanfilippo, certified nutrition consultant and author of The 21 Day Sugar Detox. Ingredients are listed in the order by the highest quantity. If sugar is near the top of the list, it’s a warning.

2. Learn Sugar’s Aliases

Reading food labels for added sugar needs to go beyond just looking for the word ‘sugar.’ It can be hidden under different names like high fructose corn syrup, dried cane syrup, invert sugar, molasses, sucrose (or any word ending in “-ose”), brown rice syrup, honey, and maple syrup. These ingredients are listed separately in lots of foods, like cereals, so if you see a lot of them, it is a good sign that the food isn’t very healthy.
woman-eating-sugar

3. Buy Unsweetened

Now that you know what you are looking for on the labels, you can start to make better choices. Choose things that say “no sugar added” or “unsweetened.”

4. Don’t Go Cold Turkey

For most of us, cold turkey isn’t realistic. So try to decrease the amount you use over time. If you take two sugars in your coffee, try taking one for a week. Then reduce to half until you are only adding your milk.
sugar

5. Think Protein and Fat

Unhealthy carbs that are loaded with sugar cause your insulin to spike and then rapidly crash, leaving you drained and hungry. To minimize this rapid rise and fall, pair protein with healthy fats and fiber. All of these slow down the release of blood sugar and help you feel fuller longer. Fats are key because they help you feel satiated and that decreases your desire for sugar. Focus on healthy fats like avocados, nuts, seeds and heart healthy oils like olive oil, walnut oil and coconut oil.

6. Never Go Fake

You may be tempted to switch to artificial sweeteners when trying to cut sugar but resist the urge. When you eat something sweet, your body expects calories and nutrition but artificial sweeteners don’t have any of those things so your body keeps looking for it and craving it. This may be why fake sugars are associated with weight gain—not loss, according to a 2010 review in the Yale Journal of Biology and Medicine.

7. Add More Flavour

Use some spices, vanilla bean, vanilla extract, or citrus zest to add sweetness to your food without using sugar or add any calories. Flavour your own latte with some cocoa or vanilla powder. Skip flavoured oatmeal and add cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. And the best part about cinnamon, it has been shown to naturally help control blood sugar which means it helps you control your appetite.
Juice might as well be soda.

8. Don’t Drink It

Drinking soda is a  no no but it might not be the only sugary drink you’re swigging. Many other beverages, even those you think might be healthy, contain more sugar than you are even supposed to have in a day. A few examples are: “enhanced” waters (eight teaspoons per bottle), bottled iced teas (more than nine teaspoons per bottle), energy drinks (almost seven teaspoons per can), bottled coffee drinks (eight teaspoons per bottle), store bought smoothies (over a dozen teaspoons for a small).
9. Enjoy Dessert

Cutting down on sugar doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the odd dessert now and then. The point of this diet transformation is to avoid wasting your daily sugar quota on non dessert foods like ketchup and bread. But you should still be careful. Set rules for yourself in regards to dessert. Something like, limiting dessert to after dinner on weekends, is perfect.
Several types of white sugar - refined sugar and granulated suga
10. Stick With It

It is going to feel really difficult at first. It will seem daunting but eventually your taste buds will adjust. Foods like ice cream and candy will taste too sweet and you will not be able to eat it like you did before.
source:http://www.bodyrock.tv

We need to learn what 2,000 calories a day looks like to prevent diabetes

diabetes is threatening to bankrupt the NHS after a 60% rise in cases in the past 10 years, according to Diabetes UK . But what’s behind that headline? Is it true? And can anything be done to stem the undeniable rise in diagnosis and cost of treatment?
The anti-diabetes diet: a 2,000 calorie-a-day food planner



It does appear to be true. NHS data confirms that an additional 1.2 million adults are living with diabetes in England and Wales now compared to figures in 2005. Most of this is type 2 diabetes which usually develops later in life, doesn’t necessarily require insulin and is often related to obesity, especially in those with an inherited tendency.

Diabetes UK predicts that if current trends continue, 5 million people will have diabetes by 2025. And care is suboptimal in 40% of diabetics who don’t receive all eight care processes that the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence recommends. Of the 100 amputations a week, 80% are thought to be preventable with optimal care.

Diabetes is a killer and a major cause of significant health problems: kidney failure, stroke, heart attacks and blindness. And it’s expensive. Diabetes treatment accounts for 10% of the annual NHS budget (about £10bn a year).

And the devil is that it is often – though not always – a preventable disease. The single biggest preventable factor is obesity. But of current trends continue, one in three of us will be obese by 2034 and one in 10 of us will be diabetic.

The NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme is aiming to introduce an evidence-based behavioural programme to fight this trend. It’s being developed and rolled out across the country.

Diabetes UK is also calling for more NHS resources to provide better care, avoid complications like amputations and give more “flexible education options” for people with diabetes.

Healthcare professionals are encouraged to identify individuals at particularly high risk of developing diabetes because they’re obese or have an inherited tendency, and offer specific intervention.

    It’s the way we have become a nation of grazers. Schools need to teach pupils what 2,000 calories looks and feels like

And there is growing awareness of the need to identify and intervene when young people are becoming obese and at risk of type 2 diabetes. There’s particular interest in trying to make sugary drinks more expensive, less attractive or less available, especially to young people.

But the only way that the tide will be turned is in a massive change in the way we lead our lives. Sport has to come back into schools, playing fields reclaimed and repurchased, cycling made safe and walking to school become the norm.

And we’re going to have to stop eating all the time. It’s not just what we eat (although clearly sugary drinks and calorie laden muffins are not helpful). It’s the way we have become a nation of constant grazers. Schools need to teach pupils what 2,000 calories a day looks and feels like. It means a breakfast of toast or cereal, a sandwich and zero calorie drink (like water) at lunch and a supper of protein, veg and a portion of carbohydrate like some boiled potatoes. Some fruit and a yoghurt, and you’re basically done for the day. Who eats like that nowadays?

The messages need to be clear and unambiguous. Public health policies and political intervention are all very well. But individuals need to know how to say no to the constant offers of food and sugary drinks that surround us. The temptations will always be there. We need the tools to resist.
source:http://www.theguardian.com