|
|
| Diabetes Information |
|
|
Get More Out Of Life While Managing Your Diabetes
When I was first diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes at the age of 21, I had not given the first thought to living a healthy diabetic lifestyle. As far as I was concerned, a healthy lifestyle was reserved only for fitness junkies and overweight moms. I did not know squat about the benefits and overall happiness a healthy lifestyle would lead to. I was perfectly content eating frozen pizza, smoking cigarettes, and binge drinking on a regular basis. After I was diagnosed with diabetes, I had a lengthy discussion with my doctor that resulted in an epiphany, "Everything I love is killing me!" First, we'll define what I mean by healthy lifestyle. When I asked the question, "What is a healthy lifestyle?" the common answer seemed to be, "Don't smoke, don't drink, eat only vegetables and protein, and make sure to exercise every day." My first thought was, "You can give that crap right back to the birds." I was 21, loved to party, and absolutely chock full of testosterone. The ideas, practices, and benefits a healthy lifestyle provided sounded great for managing my diabetes, but I sure did not like the idea of my social life falling off the face of the planet. Believing in the power of moderation, I made some compromises with my disease: 1. Smoking I quit smoking cigarettes and only smoked cigars on special occasions such as bachelor parties, Super Bowls, or the birth of my first child. That last part was a joke. After many years of searching, special occasions are the only reason I can find to put nicotine or smoke of any kind in your body. 2. Drinking For me, this was a big one. I'm not really the type of guy that likes to meet girls at church, and school was not really an option for me, but drinking was all my friends and I did. As a result, drinking alcohol (sadly enough) was a major component of my social life. From that day forward, I laid down some basic rules. No liquor. Liquor causes severe instability in blood sugar levels, and will cause serious problems. I stick only to beer and wine with a maximum of three drinks. If you monitor your sugar regularly and eat beforehand, you should be able to enjoy a nice night out. 3. Eating Of the areas available for improvement in my lifestyle, eating was the easiest for me to adapt and overcome. When I learned that protein had a minor effect on my sugar that was good news, any hamburger and steak-loving American would be happy to hear that, but the bad news was that French fries, baked potatoes, and (my favorite) sweet potatoes were off limits. That meant I had to learn to love vegetables. From that point forward, I began cooking veggies with light butter and cayenne pepper. I know that sounds odd, but I like spicy food. As far as your diet is concerned, for the sake of your happiness, find your favorite spices and seasonings and begin experimenting with healthy foods. 4. Exercise When it comes to exercising many people (including myself) do not follow through for long enough to see substantial results. Personally, I believe in living an active lifestyle instead of becoming a fitness and free-weight junkie. What worked for me? Basic exercises (lunges, squats, and crunches) in front of the television every morning followed by a 15 minute walk. Complying with the guidelines I listed above, I'm still able to have a fun, active lifestyle while controlling my diabetes. Finally, I need to say that I'm not a doctor, just a guy with Type 1 Diabetes. The practices I listed worked for me to maintain the young-adult lifestyle that I wanted. You may be different, and understanding your own personality traits is critical to successful moderation and control of your diabetes. Brandon C. Hall is an online business owner and Type 1 Diabetic who runs many websites. For the latest articles and news related to diabetes and the diabetic lifestyle visit: http://www.diabetic-resources.com
Diabetes - Google News |
|
|
|
Alternative Medicine Diabetes Has Become A Risk in Mens Life This is true that men with diabetes have an increased risk of developing erectile dysfunction compared with men without diabetes. Erectile dysfunction in diabetes has many potential causes, including the specific diabetes complications of neuropathy and vascular disease, as well as conditions commonly associated with diabetes, such as hypertension, use of various medications or psychogenic factors. Diabetic Complications - Can Benfotiamine Help Prevent Them? Diabetic complications contribute too many life threatening diseases globally. The root cause of diabetic complications is elevated glucose levels which contribute to blood vessel damage. Diabetic retinopathy, nephropathy, or neuropathy are caused by damage to small blood vessel in the eyes, nerves and kidneys, etc. The bottom line of this damage is the lowering of the life expectancy of millions of diabetics worldwide. The Importance Of Following And Maintaining A Diabetic Diet A diabetic diet is a specially designed eating plan that is high in carbohydrates and low in fat. People with diabetes don't need to go out and purchase special foods to maintain a diabetic diet, they can eat the same foods as the whole family. A healthy diet based on the diabetes food pyramid is beneficial to diabetics and non-diabetics alike. Diabetes Awareness: Will They Recognize You? Imagine how it feels to look younger, feel younger, and act younger! Now, think about how others see you. Are you ready to make a lasting impression on your friends and family? Great! Build Health: Want To Prevent Diabetes? To prevent diabetes you will get a real jolt when you follow the prescription offered up in the "Journal of the American Medical Association." Becoming a Diabetes Expert I am a diabetes expert. No I'm not a doctor or a nurse. I am a mom. A mom to a 13 year old girl named Ashley who has Juvenile Diabetes. Ashley was diagnosed with Juvenile Diabetes just before her fifth birthday. She went into a diabetic coma and almost died. None of that would have happened if I had known the warning signs. In this article I am going to give you some information on diabetes and the warning signs. The Profect Solution for Diabetics Diabetes, which affects more than 6% of the US population or over 18,000,000 people [i], is diagnosed when the body is not creating or effectively utilizing the hormone called insulin. As a result, much-needed energy from sugar, starch, and other sources are not being exploited as effectively as they should. This can lead to severe adverse health consequences, including nerve, ocular, and kidney problems [ii]. Diabetes... Sweet Story of Healing In a time not too long ago, there lived a little girl named Lindsey. (Real story.) Diabetes, A Bad Omen Or A Fresh Start? So you've learned that you've got diabetes. Well after the initial shock, you are stuck with dealing with the lifestyle changes that come with your diagnosis. When you go into the situation knowing that this isn't the end but only the beginning of a new phase in your life it gives you a better perspective on life. Gone are the days of feeling like garbage and not knowing the genesis of the problem. Oftentimes, folks feel a sense of relief when they finally realize what the problem is. The stress of uncertainty lifts and the realization sets in that their life is now on a straight path. Well sort of.. Pre-Diabetes Awareness: Gamblers Understand the Odds Do you gamble? Play Texas Hold'em poker, casino games, or lotteries? Then understanding your odds of winning is part of the challenge. Diabetes - A National Epidemic Are you a diabetic? If so, you are definitely not alone. There are approximately 16 million people in the United States who have diabetes. Public health experts believe diabetes will be the next great lifestyle disease epidemic to afflict the United States. A study by doctors from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recently startled people with the finding that the prevalence of diagnosed cases of diabetes had increased 33% over the past eight years. Raising Happy Diabetic Kids Part II This is the second article in a series I am writing about how to raise happy diabetic children. You can find the first article titled Help Your Child Develope Self-Confidence in our article archives. Raising Happy Diabetic Kids This is the first in a series of articles I am about to embark upon concerning this subject. As my family gets older and matures with this disease I think back to the early days and wonder why aren't we all on medication for depression? Why don't we have standing twice a week appointments with a psychiatrist? How did we end up so normal?(whatever that is) As I look back this did not happen by accident, nor am I Super Dad, and I did not plan it out step by step. It was mostly just paying attention, luck, and decent communication between my girls and me, granted sometimes at the top of our lungs. Diabetes and Exercise - Just Move it! While exercise and eating guidelines are based on good scientific principles, they do not necessarily agree with human nature or common sense. Recent history tells us that we are better off encouraging the mediocre people who are willing to include exercise in their daily lives, rather than cramming guidelines down the majority of those who want to fight the inevitable. In the end, keeping things simple and in a supportive situation will keep everyone happy. Gestational Diabetes Gestational diabetes is a temporary condition that occurs during pregnancy. Pregnant women who have never had diabetes before, but who have high blood sugar levels during pregnancy, are said to have gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes affects about 4% of all pregnancies, making it one of the top health concerns related to pregnancy. Exercise & Diabetes You are no doubt aware that exercise can help prevent the serious complications that often come with diabetes and heart disease. Research has repeatedly shown that regular physical activity helps reduce the likelihood of having a heart attack or a stroke, aids in weight loss, and improves mood. Exercising for Diabetes Sufferers Exercise is often recommended in treating type 1 (insulin- dependent) and type 2 (noninsulin- dependent) diabetes ~ both as a stand-alone activity and in combination with diet and drug therapy. For people who are heavily dependent on medicines, exercise cannot replace drugs but it does contribute to normalizing the glucose metabolism. Insulin Insulin has two critical roles in the body that we cannot live without, yet it can be the root of many health problems, including diabetes. Insulin carries sugar (glucose), fat and protein into your cells where they are used for energy and the repair of your cells. When you eat, a certain amount of the food will be converted into glucose and enter the bloodstream. As the sugar levels rise, the body senses it and the pancreas secretes insulin to lower the sugar. This is insulin's second main function. Diabetes Awareness: Ill Wait til it Hurts By the time many type 2 diabetics (and often their doctors) realize action is necessary, the disease, with its destructive high blood sugars, has been silently damaging their body for years. Diabetes Type 2 and Artificial Sweeteners Diabetes Type 2 (adult onset)
|
| home | site map | |
© 2006 www.elearn-university.org |
