Author: Thamin Abdul

As a diabetic who is trying to lose weight, it is not only important what you eat and how much but what you eat together too. Foods react differently together and for optimal performance and the best affect on your blood glucose level there are a few guidelines that should be followed.

At each meal you should have a combination of carbohydrates and protein and you can have fat in moderation. The majority of the foods a diabetic will eat fall under the carbohydrate category, carbohydrates can be found in:

• Fruits
• Vegetables
• Beans
• Dairy Products
• Bread
• Grains

To reduce blood sugars and lose weight, a diet where carbohydrates are counted and controlled is necessary. Depending on your weight and height your dietician will provide you with a number of carbohydrates that you can have at each meal. Some carbohydrates are better choices than others; choose fresh and whole wheat whenever possible.

Choosing carbohydrates that are high in fiber can help to reduce your blood glucose levels and will keep you feeling full for longer. Higher fiber content allows you to eat more an item without suffering the consequences later on.

At each meal, a small amount of protein will help counter-act the carbohydrate’s affect of raising blood sugars. Protein will also sustain you longer and you will not be hungry as quickly if you did not have protein at one of your meals or for snack. Choose high- quality protein that is not fried. Remove excess fat when it is possible such as chicken skin before eating.

Following a healthy eating plan with the correct number of carbohydrates at each meal combine with a protein can help you lose weight and manage your diabetes. Make time for exercising in your week too and you are sure to lose weight and have more energy.

Views: 0

Many people suffer from depression at some point in their lives and people with diabetes are no exception. If you are obese and have type 2 diabetes you may blame yourself and your lifestyle on the disease you now have. It is hard to adjust to a new lifestyle. Feeling down or guilty about this is okay and even normal but if it turns into something more you need to seek professional help.

It is normal to feel down about having diabetes in the beginning but once you learn more about the disease and how to control it you can also feel more in control of your life again. Take charge, if you are obese and want to improve your blood glucose levels you can. By eating a healthy diet and regular exercise you can lose weight and improve your blood sugars.

If your feeling of being down or hopeless will not go away and is accompanied by any of the following as well you may be depressed. If this is the case, contact your doctor right away.

Signs of depression:

• You are no longer sleeping like you used to (more or less)
• Not enjoying life or everyday activities like you used to
• No energy to do things you want or have to do
• You are eating more or less or have sudden weight gain or loss

If you are experiencing any of these symptoms you seek help. Being obese and diabetic can be trying both mentally and physically. It is important to know that you can take action to make things better. Your diabetes may never go away but you can certainly keep it under control and live a full life. By losing weight, even a small amount, you can make a huge difference in your health and diabetes.

Views: 0

Once you have taken the time to plan your meals for the week including snacks and have gone grocery shopping you are all set for a week’s worth of healthy eating. Well, if you can stick to your plan and only eat the foods that you bought you will be. This is easier said than done though. Everyone needs a break from a strict eating plan, but you need to know how to get back on track and stay motivated to follow your diabetic diet.

Different people with have varying reasons as to why it is hard for them to stay on track. For some it may be they are not giving themselves enough variety in their diet from day to day or even week to week. This is an easy dilemma, do some research by talking to other diabetics and your dietician for suggestions on how to mix up your eating plan.

If you are feeling alone and a bit resentful that you can’t eat what you want and when you want. You should consider joining a support group for diabetics. Not only can they help you through the times you want to cheat on your diabetic diet they can also provide emotional support. If you are the only person in you family with diabetes you may feel quite alone and if they are not supportive (and eat things in front of you that you cannot have) you also may feel angry. Talking to someone that has been through the same thing will help and provide the motivation that is needed to stay on your meal plan.

Sometimes money can be a factor in not being able to stick with a meal plan. The higher quality foods can be more expensive than the quick and easy convenience foods. Whenever possible, try and make foods that have been processed as little as possible like produce.

Views: 0

Both diabetics and obesity are linked to kidney failure. There are many people who are both diabetic and obese and they have an increased risk of being diagnosed with serious kidney problems that lead to dialysis or the need for a transplant. Kidney failure and damage in a diabetic patient is known as diabetic nephropathy.

The kidneys’ job is to clean the blood but when the blood has excess sugar (glucose) present it causes damage to the kidneys. This damage can happen even before someone knows they are diabetic or if they are not diabetic bur are considered obese. High blood sugars that are present in the bodies of obese people and diabetics are a problem to these organs and other functions in body.

There really aren’t any symptoms for the early signs of kidney damage. You probably will not know that it is occurring unless your doctor performs a test to check for protein in your urine (done with a dip stick in the office). If the doctor finds the presence of protein it will be closely monitored depending on the amount of protein present. During the beginning stages of diabetic nephropathy the kidneys are still able to function and do their job of cleaning the blood. Action will need to be taken to get blood glucose levels under control to prevent further damage to the kidneys.

If your kidneys fail you are at risk for high blood pressure and the build-up of toxins in your blood because the kidneys are not able to filter them out. The two options available at this point are dialysis or a kidney transplant. Dialysis is a method to clean your blood using an external machine you are hooked up to that your blood is run through and then put back in your body

Views: 0

Physical activity is recommended for any person to stay healthy. But for a diabetic it now only increases energy levels and can help maintain an ideal body weight it also helps to control blood sugars. But an active diabetic needs to take extra care and precautions to ensure they are getting enough fuel for their body so their blood sugars do not drop dangerously low – known as hypoglycemia.

The amount you exercise is going to determine how much you are going to eat on your diabetic meal plan. The more physically active you are the higher your nutritional requirements and the higher your risk is for developing hypoglycemia. The best practice when you are just starting out is to monitor your blood sugars before and after working out and during if you feel it is necessary. It is important to listen to your body and stop if you are feeling light-headed or are experiencing any of the other signs associated with low blood sugar.

Before you work out, have a snack that is going to sustain you for a long period of time without spiking your blood sugar levels. A granola bar eaten with a handful of nuts is a good choice as it combines a carbohydrate that is high in fiber and a high-quality protein. The food that you eat before working out should have a high-fiber content, this will slow down the breaking down process of the carbohydrates in your system and you will be sustained for a longer period of time.

Drink plenty of fluids (preferably water) when you are working out to stay hydrated. In case of an emergency, carry glucose tablets with you at all times or some hard candy that will quickly raise your blood sugar. At other times of the day, eat balanced meals to maintain your energy.

Views: 0

If you are a diabetic and are overweight or considered clinically obese, you can improve your overall health and the management of your diabetes by losing weight. It may seem like an overwhelming goal if you have tried in the past to lose weight and have failed. But there are steps you can take and support you can utilize to help you reach your goals.

The first step to losing weight is to set a short-term goal for yourself. You can do this on your own but can also get help from your doctor or a dietician. A good goal when starting to lose weight is to take a small percentage of your overall weight and aim to lose that much in your time frame. For instance, if you weigh 200 pounds aim to lose weight 5% of your body weight to begin (10 pounds). When you lose weight as a diabetic you are helping your body by lessening your insulin requirements. Weight loss will also assist you in keeping your blood sugar levels under control.

Another method to lose weight is physical activity and exercise. Getting your body moving will increase your metabolism and that act will assist in losing weight too. Not only will increased metabolism aid in weight loss, it will also help in controlling blood glucose levels. Your body will be processing food more efficiently.

Diet and exercise go hand-in-hand with weight loss. It also takes patience and time but as you begin the road to weight loss the benefits you will derive as a diabetic will begin right away. And as you reach your goal weight you will gain better control of your blood sugars. If you are having difficulty losing weight on your own, speak to your doctor about other options that are available to you such as medication or possibly surgery.

Views: 0

All diets should use fat in moderation as it can lead to an unhealthy body weight and heart disease. For a diabetic, controlling fat intake is important for the previous reason in addition to the negative affect it can have on blood sugars. Fats can be put into many different categories – healthy, non-healthy, saturated, non-saturated, trans-fat, and more. But the bottom line with any of kind of fat is to enjoy in moderation.

When you eat food that is high in fat (for instance a cheeseburger), your short-term blood glucose reading may come back as fine. But since fat acts much like protein and it slows down the digestion of carbohydrates you may notice a higher than normal blood sugar many hours later. It is hard to plan for such a spike because it is quite delayed compared to other foods that are eaten that raise blood sugar.

The best advice is to choose natural, healthy, unsaturated fats and oils whenever possible. You can do this by reading your food labels carefully as the different kinds of fats are listed on most food labels. Excessive fat intake will also cause you to gain weight and that is another way blood sugars can spiral out of control. Extra body weight that you carry around is taxing on your systems and will affect how your body uses and needs insulin.

Healthy fat choices include:

• Avocado – oil or the fruit itself
• Sesame, olive, or canola oil
• Black or green olives
• Peanuts and peanut butter (this doubles as a protein choice)
• Sesame seeds

Additional fat choices that should be used in moderation:

• Butter or margarine
• Walnuts
• Salad dressings
• Mayonnaise
• Pumpkin and sunflower seeds

If there are any questions about a type of fat and what a serving size should be, contact your doctor or dietician for more information.

Views: 0

If you are considered obese, especially with an above average amount of abdominal fat and are insulin resistant, you may have what is known as metabolic syndrome. It is important to note that you can be insulin resistance and not actually have diabetes – yet. If you are insulin resistant you may be what is termed pre-diabetes.

If you are insulin resistant, your body is not using the insulin your pancreas is producing effectively. Your pancreas will continue to produce more and more insulin but your body will not use it and cannot derive the energy from the food you eat. This condition can be passed on from another member of the family but it is also caused by obesity and inactivity.

As with diabetes, the risk factors for having metabolic problems – metabolic syndrome – are quite similar. Age is a risk factor, the older you are the chances of having this are greater. Almost half of the people with metabolic syndrome are over the age of 60 but symptoms have been seen in children and adults in their 20’s. Another risk factor for having this syndrome is race, people from a Hispanic or Asian backgrounds are at a higher risk than others. And as mentioned there is also the hereditary factory.

Being obese with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of over 25 is a factor too. The difference with this factor from the others is that most people have an element of control over this. If they are able to lose weight and exercise they can reduce or eliminate this contributor towards metabolic syndrome.

If you are diagnosed with metabolic syndrome, your doctor will run screening tests for diabetes. He or she will also recommend or put your on a program to lose weight through a healthy and balanced diet coupled with physical activity.

Views: 0

High blood pressure is a concern for anyone but people with diabetics are more likely to suffer from it than others. If you are obese and diabetic, a high blood pressure can be deadly leading to a fatal heart attack. Like many health risks associated with diabetes, good control of your blood sugars, a healthy diet and physical activity can help to keep your blood pressure in check.

If you are suffering from a headache, your vision is blurry and you feel light headed or dizzy you may have high blood pressure. These symptoms are not just indicative of high blood pressure though and you should seek medical attention to determine the cause. Other times there may be no symptoms at all when you have high blood pressure or it may be slightly elevated. It is smart to have your blood pressure routinely checked at your doctor’s appointments.

When you are obese, the most effective way to reduce your blood pressure is to lose weight. Follow a meal plan that works for your diabetes, making sure you are consuming enough food, and can still allow you to lose weight. Other changes that you can make that will improve your blood pressure are:

• An exercise routine that is followed on a regular basis
• Reducing stress in your life – mediation, yoga, letting go of some responsibilities
• Quit smoking
• Lessen the amount of salt you use for cooking or on your food

While you are making lifestyle changes to lower your blood pressure your doctor may decide to put your on medication. If you have to take blood pressure medication it does not have to be forever. You can look at it as a short-term fix while you make the changes necessary to lower your blood pressure on your own.

Views: 0

When you are diabetic you have probably read in many places and have heard from your doctor how beneficial it is for you to lose weight. But that doesn’t make it any easier to do. It is difficult to do, but everyone is right; you will reap many benefits from losing weight including managing your diabetes and blood glucose levels.

If you are already motivated to lose weight and just don’t know where to begin, make an appointment with your doctor or diabetes educator. They can provide you with information on a healthy eating plan and approve the type of exercises you should begin with. Getting the okay from your doctor before starting any physical routine is a good idea so you do not over-do it at the beginning creating more harm than good.

If you have tried to lose weight before and know that it is a hard road, you may find the motivation you need through a support group. Having a network to back you up when you are having a hard day or the commitment of meeting someone at the gym can get you through the rough patches ahead.

As you reach certain milestones in your weight loss journey set reward points for yourself as motivation. You may decide to reward yourself when you lose 10 pounds or it might be going for a walk 5 times in one week – whatever you need help with. Your reward can be anything that will make you work harder – renting a movie, a new pair of shoes – make it special.

As you continue to lose weight and become more active keep a careful eye on your blood sugars and insulin requirements. You may find that you are requiring less insulin as you drop the pounds. Keep in contact with your doctor and update him on your progress.

Views: 0