28 July, (foodconsumer.org) - Those who have type 2 diabetes might reverse their condition to normal just by following a vegan diet. A new study found that a low-fat vegan diet without dairy and meat may be better for type 2 diabetics than the diet recommended by the American Diabetes Association. Those who were on a vegan diet not only had lower levels of blood sugar and cholesterol and lost more weight, but also had better kidney function, according to the study published in the journal Diabetes Care, a journal published by the American Diabetes Association (ADA). The study, led by Dr. Neal Barnard and colleagues from George Washington University, the University of Toronto and the University of North Carolina, was meant to test a low-fat low sugar vegan diet and the ADA-recommended diet to see which is better in the management of diabetes, kidney function, cholesterol levels and weight loss.
Children with type 1 diabetes who exercise regularly may have improved blood glucose levels compared with those who do not, and regular physical activity does not appear to increase the risk of severe hypoglycemia (low blood glucose levels), according to a report in the June issue of Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals. Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce sufficient insulin to process the sugar (glucose) that the body uses for energy. Controlling blood glucose in diabetics can help prevent complications associated with the disease. Although exercise has been shown to benefit diabetics in other ways, previous studies assessing the connection between physical activity and blood glucose control have been controversial, according to background information in the article.
RALEIGH, N.C. -- For most people, eating healthier is something they can put off until tomorrow. For diabetics, a healthy diet cannot wait. The things diabetics must learn about food could also help many who are at risk of developing Type 2 diabetes avoid it. Low-carb diets help many people learn about carbohydrates. For those dieters, controlling carbs equals weight loss. For diabetics, counting carbs equals survival. It determines how much insulin they need. Carbohydrates are the food that affects the blood sugar level, so diabetics must understand what carbohydrates are. Registered dietitian Erin Cross tells her clients there are two types of carbs -- complex carbs and simple sugars. "When carbs are broken down, they turn into glucose and the rate at which it's broken down depends on whether it's a simple sugar or complex carb," Cross said.
A variety of complications can affect people with diabetes over time. In the best interest of the diabetic patient, controlling blood sugar levels may lessen complications. These complications can include coronary artery disease, dermopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy retinopathy, macroangiopathy, microangiopathy and peripheral vascular disease. Dr. Nathaniel Berg from Guam Radiology Consultants talks about peripheral vascular disease and how it affects blood vessels of the legs and feet and neuropathy, which refers to a diabetic's degree of nerve damage. Diabetic vascular disease refers to hardening of the arteries because of diabetes. On Guam thousands suffer from diabetes and its complications such as peripheral vascular disease, or narrowing of peripheral blood vessels or arteries. According to Dr.
A tiny molecule found in a plant root could be the newest weapon in the growing battle against type 2 diabetes, Australian researchers claim. Chinese herbalists have long used the natural plant product berberine for medicinal purposes, including healing wounds and treating diarrhoea. More recently it has been claimed that it lowers blood sugar levels when given to people with type 2 diabetes, a long-term condition affecting 1.2 million Australians. The nation is in the midst of a diabetes epidemic driven by lifestyle factors, particularly the dramatic increase in obesity, poor diet and lack of physical activity. Research by Chinese, Korean and Australian scientists at Sydney's Garvan Institute has finally provided the proof that berberine works in the treatment of the disease. “This is very exciting because clearly it's a growing problem and now we're looking at a new weapon in our armoury in the fight against it," said Professor David James, head of the Garvan's diabetes and obesity research program.
Eight-week-old Tenterfield terrier, Gus, will learn to detect when a hypoglycaemic (low blood sugar) attack is approaching his master - Bendigo engine reconditioner, Adam Beaman. Adam was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at age 9, and has since endured a daily routine of multiple blood tests and insulin injections to control his condition. Last November, he woke up in hospital after suffering a serious low blood sugar level seizure, or "hypo". "I woke up in casualty without knowing what had happened," he said. "I'd had a fairly serious hypo in my sleep, which is hard to monitor because you aren't awake and don't feel it coming on."
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Hundreds of people took a walk across the campus of Michigan State University Saturday to support diabetes research. Our own Sheri Jones even laced up her shoes. The second annual "walk to cure diabetes" raises money for research. The Juvenile Diabetes Foundation says the disease affects millions of Americans, and research is important to finding a cure. Lisa Klingbiel, diabetic: "It's an extremely-challenging disease to have, its 24/7 and it never goes away, and I have to be always thinking about what my blood sugar is and constantly have to be monitoring my blood sugar levels." A new case of diabetes is diagnosed every thirty seconds across the nation. If you'd like to help, call 1-800-533-cure. .
People with type I diabetes can participate in all sports, but they must be vigilant about monitoring their blood sugar levels. The timing of food intake in relation to activity is also crucial. The American Diabetes Association offers this advice: Eat a meal one to three hours before exercise. If exercise is vigorous and of long duration (like a soccer match or a basketball game), eat extra carbohydrates every 30 minutes. But if your blood sugar level is high before you start to exercise, a snack may not be necessary. A snack with 15 to 30 grams of carbohydrates is sufficient. (Food portions with about 30 grams of carbohydrates include two fig cookies, 17 mini-pretzels, a package of snack-type crackers, two cups of a sports drink, one average-size energy bar, a large orange, three-quarters cup of orange juice, a half cup of cranberry-apple juice or a medium apple).
You probably know your blood pressure, your cholesterol level and maybe your blood sugar -- but what about your triglyceride level? Although they get less attention than cholesterol, tryglicerides are significantly linked to heart disease. Triglycerides are the main form of fat found in foods, whether they are saturated, polyunsaturated or monounsaturated. Excess calories change to triglycerides for storage as body fat. Triglycerides in your blood are usually higher if you are overweight, consume too much alcohol or refined sugars or when diabetes is out of control. A high blood triglyceride level (above 150mg/dL) is a risk factor for heart disease, so monitor your level regularly. Changing your eating habits, losing weight if you are overweight, drinking alcohol in moderation (or not at all), watching how much sugar you consume and adopting an active lifestyle are important steps in lowering triglyceride levels.
A Gardenia fruit extract traditionally used in Chinese medicine to treat the symptoms of type 2 diabetes does indeed contain a chemical that reverses some of the pancreatic dysfunctions that underlie the disease, researchers report in the June 7, 2006, Cell Metabolism. The chemical therefore represents a useful starting point for new diabetes therapies, they said. Such a drug could offer a big advance, the group added, as no currently available therapy for diabetes actually targets the underlying causes of disease in insulin-producing pancreatic beta cells. Insulin controls blood levels of glucose, the body's main energy source. In those with diabetes, insulin deficiency or insulin resistance causes blood sugar concentrations to rise. The team discovered that Gardenia extract contains the chemical "genipin." Previously known for its ability to cross-link proteins, they now find that the chemical also blocks the function of the enzyme called uncoupling protein 2 (UCP2) through another mechanism.
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