Tag: Glucose

Good Gylcemic Foods

The Glycemic Index was discovered in 1981 and is the basis for many recently popular diets, including the South Beach Diet as well as others. The Glycemic Index determines how long certain carbohydrates take to break down and digest in the system. Those with a high rating, take the longest time to break down and do the most damage to the system of someone with diabetes. The good glycemic foods; that is, those with the lower rates, are more desirable not only for diabetics, but for those who are watching their carbohydrate intake through such diets as the South Beach Diet, they should also be aware of what the good glycemic foods are.

Good glycemic foods tend to absorb slowly into the system, allowing the body to break down the refined sugars and starches so that the body can digest them properly. People with Type I and Type II diabetes have a difficult time digesting carbohydrates, particularly those that are high on the glycemic index, and this lack of proper digestion makes it difficult for the diabetic to expel glucose from their blood,. While most diabetics are wise to avoid most, if not all carbohydrates, as these are what are the most difficult to digest and break down, certain carbohydrates are better than others for diabetics to consume.

Good glycemic foods tend to have a low score on the Glycemic Index that was developed in 1981 at the University of Toronto. Good glycemic foods are still carbohydrates, but make it easier for the diabetic to digest and are much healthier and preferable than those glycemic foods with high ratings on the Glycemic Index. Substitutions are available for foods that rate high on the Glycemic Index and are widely available in supermarkets and other food stores.

Some of the foods that rate low on the Glycemic Index include most fruits and vegetables, Although fruits and vegetables contain sugar, the sugars contained in these good glyceic foods digest into the system at a lower rate and also provide valuable nutrients to the diabetic, or just about everyone. The only vegetable that a diabetic should avoid is a potato, as it has a high glycemic index. Other fruits and vegetables, however, are preferable than white rice, white bread, corn flakes and anything made with white refined sugar or flour.

Other good glycemic foods include wholegrain breads and pastas. If you or a loved one has Type I or Type II diabetes, you should switch to whole grain breads and pastas made from wheat flour. This can be tremendously helpful to anyone who wants to manage their glycemia as well as anyone who wants to follow such low carb diets. Basmati rice is also considered one of the good glycemic foods.

Often, it is not a matter of eliminating carbohydrates when one is using diet to control their diabetes, but understanding which carbohydrates rate high on the glycemic index. Diabetes is a disease that can be controlled by proper diet, monitoring one’s blood sugar and following doctor’s orders as far as medication.

Can A Good Diet Keep Diabetes At Bay

Upon first being diagnosed with diabetes, many patients ask can a good diet keep diabetes at bay. Most doctors will agree that a good diet, low in carbohydrates and sugars can help a person with diabetes avoid many of the complications that often accompany the disease. While a good diet can not necessarily cure the illness, a good diet can keep diabetes at bay.

People who have diabetes have a difficult time processing foods such as sugars and starches. Instead of processing normally through their system, they stay in the system and turn end up increasing the glucose in the bloodstream. When this occurs, it is called glycemia – which is too much sugar in the blood. People with Type I and Type II diabetes both suffer from having too much glucose in the blood. As the glucose does not digest normally, it causes problems with the kidneys, liver, eyesight, heart and blood circulation in general.

Depending upon the stage of their diabetes, a physician will normally prescribe either medication or insulin. Both help the body process the sugars in the blood, to break them down and allow the patient to expel them. However, insulin and medication are no substitute for a healthy diet. Just because a person is taking medication or insulin does not give them carte blanche to consume all of the sugar and carbohydrates they can get their hands on. It is absolutely essential that a person with diabetes not only take medication or insulin as directed, but also adhere to a diabetic diet. This means getting familiar with which foods should be avoided and which foods can be eaten sparingly.

The Glycemic Index was established in 1981 to rate which carbohydrates are the worst for those with diabetes. The carbohydrates that are high on the list, such as white bread, take longer to digest and should be avoided. Carbohydrates that have low scores, such as brown rice, can be eaten in moderation. It is very difficult for anyone to avoid carbohydrates completely, which is why familiarizing oneself with the Glycemic Index is so important in the treatment of diabetes.

In addition to carbohydrates that rate high on the Glycemic Index as well as low, there is also an intermediate group. It may surprise people to know that a chocolate bar is rated in the intermediate group on the Glycemic Index. This does not mean, however, that one should feel free to consume all the chocolate they want. The purpose of the Glycemic Index is to help individuals establish which foods should definitely be avoided and which foods are okay in moderation.

So, can a good diet keep diabetes at bay. The answer is yes. While it cannot cure a patient of diabetes, a good diet low in foods that have high ratings in the Glycemic Index and high in proteins can help an individual with this condition live a longer, healthier life. Until there is a cure for this potentially life threatening condition, it is important for all people who suffer from diabetes to familiarize themselves with the Glycemic Index so they can better understand how to control their disease.

Hypoglycemia Information To Help You Understand

If you think you have hypoglycemia then take heart and keep reading. When you are finished reading this article you will have all the hypoglycemia information you need to help you understand your condition. Understanding what you are dealing with and why are the first steps toward controlling your hypoglycemia.

Hypoglycemia happens when the concentration of sugar, or glucose, in your blood drops to a level your body isn’t used to. Normal values for blood sugar is 70mg/dl to 110mg/dl. If you fall below 70mg/dl and it happens often then you could be hypoglycemic. Anyone can have a glycemic episode once in a while but if you are consistently having symptoms then you and your doctor should discuss adding the diagnosis to your medical chart and starting treatment.

Hypoglycemia may be a precursor to diabetes and the sooner you begin treatment the better off you will be in the long run. Symptoms of mild hypoglycemia include weakness, headache, dizziness, sweating and blurry vision. Some good hypoglycemia information is that these symptoms can be controlled by eating food as soon as you feel them coming on.

Sever hypoglycemia symptoms include heart palpitations and arrhythmia, mental confusion, unusual behavior, convulsions, loss of consciousness and even death if left untreated. Like I said anyone can suffer a hypoglycemic episode, even if they do not have diabetes. Situations which may contribute to having a hypoglycemic episode include eating a meal high in sugar and having your body react by dumping insulin into your system in response to your meal, skipping a meal, not eating or not eating enough when you are supposed to when you feel hungry, exercising too much and drinking too much alcohol can also cause blood sugar levels to drop.

So, how do you prevent or treat you hypoglycemia? Try treating and controlling symptoms by eating small meals throughout the day and limiting carbohydrates. Your doctor may want you to start checking your blood sugar at least daily to get a baseline on where your blood sugars are and what to do about the possibilities of diabetes. Exercise in moderation and do not ever skip meals. Make sure your meals are always balanced without too many carbohydrates.

Carbohydrates convert to simple sugars in your body almost immediately and your pancreas responds in kind and pumps insulin into your system to help manage the blood sugar spike. If you eat too many carbohydrates then the insulin pumped into your system will be a significant amount and will make your blood sugar drop like a stone in a pond. This is where the danger comes in.

If you are already diabetic your doctor should follow you closely until your blood sugars are under control and you get used to the treatment regimen. You may be able to control your diabetes with diet only, if not you will need to get used to giving yourself insulin shots at least daily, sometimes more often.

Hypoglycemia can be a serious medical condition so if it happens more than once talk to your doctor immediately and get hypoglycemia information and learn how to manage your symptoms.

Walking Offers Great Benefits for your Brain Activities

Walking is a way to get the daily exercise you need and it is also great for your brain activities. Research shows that people who walk are doing a huge service for their brains. As a person walks the blood circulates faster. At the same time more glucose and oxygen are sent to the brain. This is possible because walking is a very low impact type of exercise. When you exercise with fast paced movements your body is going to absorb that extra glucose and oxygen so it isnt available for the brain to receive.

The additional oxygen that goes to your brain is a great way to help you reduce levels of stress. This is why a brisk walk a couple of times each day can help a person to see pressing situations in new ways. Individuals that walk on a regular basis have better concentration and they seem to be more receptive to learning new things. It is estimated that they risk of a stroke is reduced by more than 50% when you walk each day. Since a stroke can have severe consequences for the brain activities this is good news.

There have been many studies with women and their walking habits. Those that walk at least 20 minutes each day seem to be able to remember things that have occurred more than others. The fact that they arent suffering from memory loss as they get older could be due to the amount of walking they have done in the past.

Start out by walking at least 20 minutes a day. Try to work up to at least 30 minutes. As you are able to get this time frame in without any problem offer yourself a new challenge. Try to walk further in those 30 minutes than you did before. This can be accomplished by picking up the pace and by focusing your attention on the size of your stride. Try to make them longer and with a purpose rather than just going for a leisurely stroll.

Dont use the excuse that you dont have enough energy to walk. If you have aches and pains you may be afraid to engage in such activities. However, walking releases more endorphins that are produced by the body naturally. This means you will have more energy than before when you walk. You will also have a sense of happiness that you didnt before thanks to those endorphins being released in the brain. Those endorphins can also help to relieve various types of pain your body may have.

It is understandable that people are very different when it comes to their fitness levels. Walking is low impact so just about anyone can take part in it. This is the perfect activity to engage in so that your body gets the physical exercise it needs. At the same time our brain gets a workout that keeps it youthful and vital as well. You can walk alone or with a friend to keep yourself motivated. If you are alone the use of an MP3 player can help make it more interesting.

If you have children, take them along for the walk as well. Children are never too young to work on their physical and mental well being. In fact, children that have been doing so from a young age will accept it as a part of what they need to do. They will be more likely to continue such efforts as they become adults themselves. This means that their brain activities will be very strong and healthy. They will stay that way too instead of slipping as they get older.

You can get them a stroller or a wagon to help keep the pace rapid until they are old enough to keep up with you. Many parents walk at tracks around playgrounds too. This is perfect because the children get to play while you walk. Yet you can still keep a close eye on them while you do so.

PPPPP

Word Count 673