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  • When to Eat when you have Diabetes

    When you are a diabetic sometimes when you eat is just as important as what you eat. Keeping a steady stream of food in your system without causing high blood sugars can be hard to do. But once you figure what works for you, you will have more flexibility and better control of your diabetes.

    It is recommended that diabetics eat many small meals throughout the day or three main meals and three snacks in between. A typical day may go like this:

    • Wake-up and have breakfast
    • Mid-morning snack
    • Lunch
    • Mid-afternoon snack
    • Dinner
    • Bedtime snack

    The timing in between each meal or snack should be two to three hours. This variation will depend on what you have eaten at the previous meal, how active you have been and what you feel like. If you are feeling hungry or light-headed and you normally wouldn’t have eaten for another 30 minutes – don’t wait. Test your blood sugar and move up your meal. The time it can take for you to wait the 30 minutes can be the time it takes for your blood sugar to drop dangerously low.

    The only time you may want to wait a longer period of time is between dinner and your bedtime snack. Most times dinner is the biggest meal of the day and you will not need food again for a longer period of time. Another reason to wait longer is to ensure that you have enough food in your system before you go to bed to last you through the night without your blood sugars dropping too low.

    If eating this many times in a day is too much for you, consider eating smaller means and smaller portion sizes. Eating this way (less more often) makes it easier for your body to regulate blood glucose levels.

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  • A Diabetic Diet for Vegetarians

    If you are a vegetarian who has been diagnosed with diabetes, you can still maintain your diabetic diet. In some cases a vegetarian diet may be a healthy way to keep your blood glucose levels stable – that is if you are eating lean high-quality proteins and are following other rules for eating as a diabetic.

    As a lot of vegans and vegetarians eat a larger amount of fruits and vegetables in a day than a non-vegetarian and their fiber intake is much higher too. An increased amount of fiber in a diabetic’s diet can help blood sugars because it slows down the process of the body digesting carbohydrates. A vegetarian’s diet is usually lower in cholesterol as well and it can help ward off cardiovascular disease including heart attacks and strokes.

    If you are diabetic and are considering a switch to a diabetic diet some of the benefits you might derive include a higher rate of weight loss and better blood sugar readings. This is dependant on the types of vegetarian meals you choose as some meatless meals can be just as fattening as ones that contain meat.

    Speak to your doctor and dietician before making the switch. You will need information on how to transition yourself to your new diet. You will also get a list of meat alternatives you should eat in order to get enough protein in a day. These can include tofu, nuts, eggs, and seeds.

    As with any change, once your switch to a vegetarian diet give yourself and your body time to adjust. There are many recipes and ideas for vegetarian dishes and you will find a lot of variety and flexibility in the meals that you prepare. Check your blood sugars frequently to make sure your blood glucose levels remain stable during the change.

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  • A DNA Link between Diabetes and Obesity

    There is no known reason for what causes diabetes. There are certainly risk factors that make the likelihood of you being diagnosed with the disease higher. One of the only risk factors that you have control over is your weight. If you are obese, the single best thing you can do for your health and the prevention of diabetes is to lose weight. Even in small increments, when you shed pounds you are increasing your health benefits.

    These may be easier said than done. There are new studies that are now showing that there is a genetic factor or mutation for people who are obese and have diabetes. This genetic malfunction affects how the bodies use energy and insulin – two key elements in the functioning of your body and the cause of diabetes and obesity.

    The studies also state that this is not a cause and effect case. If you carry this defective gene you are not guaranteed to be obese or have diabetes. But the link is there and it can be prevented. You may have to work harder at it than others to maintain a healthy body weight and put off diabetes but it can be done. Discuss with your doctor options and ways to prevent or put-off the onset of diabetes.

    The gene that researchers have discovered as a precursor to diabetes has been found in young children. It is scary to know that children in their preschool years are being diagnosed with obesity and type 2 diabetes due to genetics. But parents can reduce or prevent these things from happening by giving their children healthy lifestyle choices. Now that a DNA link has been found, the research can focus on finding a way to fix or prevent this from happening at some point in the future.

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  • A Healthy BMI for Diabetics

    Body Mass Index (BMI) is a calculation that is based on your height and weight to determine if you are underweight, an ideal weight, overweight, or obese. The test is an indication of the total body fat that you are carrying around. The number ranges are fairly accurate but there are some circumstances when the calculations may not be 100% true. As these results are purely based on numbers, you should take the number you are given and discuss other contributing factors with your doctor (such as muscle weight or body type considerations).

    A BMI of 30 or over is considered obese. The higher end of the scale for overweight people (25 – 29.9) and people that fall into the obese category are at an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes. Other danger indicators are waist circumferences. If you are a man and your waist measures 40 inches or more and if you are a woman and your waist measures 35 inches or more, there is an increased abdominal fat risk factor for diabetes and other diseases.

    Maintaining a healthy BMI is all about being at a weight that is right for your height and body type. Both of these goals will bring many more benefits than just better controlled blood glucose levels. You will also have increased energy, can reduce the amount of insulin you are on, and give yourself a longer life expectancy.

    Reduce your total body fat to bring your BMI into a healthy range (18.5-24.9). Consult your doctor and get advice on how to meet your goals. And if you are just starting an exercise routine, get the okay from your doctor first. You do not want to overtax yourself at the beginning and your doctor may have some restrictions for you to ensure you do not suffer from injury or hypoglycemia.

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  • Adjusting your Diabetic Diet for Special Occasions

    Birthday parties, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and more are holidays and special occasions that are centered on food. For most people these are times to anticipate the celebration and the eating. For a diabetic it can be a stressful time, you want to partake in all of the good food too but most times it is not made with a diabetic in mind. If the frequency of these events is not too often, you can adjust your diet for special occasions so you too can have some of the treats available.

    The hardest part about preparing for a special occasion is if you do not know what is going to be served. If this is the case, a quick call to your host or hostess can be made. Most people will not mind you asking especially if you have dietary needs that need to be taken into consideration. Once you do know what is being served, plan your meals for that day accordingly. You may want to have fewer carbohydrates with your breakfast and snack to make up for the extra ones you will have at a birthday party where pizza is being served.

    Another option for special occasions is to offer to bring a dish for everyone to share. Make it something that you enjoy as a treat but still follows the guidelines for your diabetic diet.

    For family favorites and traditions, be creative and look for ways to make the same dishes with less fat or sugar. You can do this by substituting regular sugar for sugar substitutes or choose whole wheat flour instead of white for the extra fiber content.

    During the holidays and other occasions, closely monitor your blood sugars. Even with extra care, the change in your diet can still result in a blood sugar that is too high or low.

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  • Artificial Sweeteners for Diabetics

    The food industry has come up with a solution for people on diets or with diabetes that have a sweet tooth. They are known as artificial sweeteners and they are used in everything from chewing gum, coffee sweeteners, and even baking. There is some controversy over the use of them as some of them are totally synthetic and others are derived from the actual sugar plant. But to a diabetic who doesn’t want to give up on their favorite pop or chewing gum they can be a life-saver.

    The four different kinds of artificial sweeteners are: saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame potassium. Each of these types can be found under various product names and brands. Not all are made the same way and they have different uses. Some you can buy in liquid or powdered form for baking needs and others like aspartame is only found in foods that you purchase pre-made.

    The use of these artificial sweeteners will not raise blood sugar and are safe for a diabetic to use. Care and attention is still needed because the food items you put sugar in or on most likely will have an affect on your blood sugar. Still follow your diabetic diet but use some artificial sweeteners to make it a little sweeter.

    Some diabetics may want to use honey as a substitute for sugar. You certainly can make this substitution, however, honey is very similar to sugar in carbohydrate content and the effects it will have on your blood glucose level. It is best to enjoy honey in small moderations if at all.

    Aspartame has been linked in some medical studies with Alzheimer’s disease. Speak to your doctor about the benefits and risks of using any of the artificial sweeteners if you have any concerns about the potential health risks.

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  • Addictive Bad Habits

    The question is: “Are addictions actually bad habits?” According to the habit model of addiction, they are. This theory of addiction states that the only reason to say there is a difference is to persecute “addicts.”

    People with bad habits of smoking often feel much persecuted. While smoking is not illegal (at least not yet), it is shunned by society as a whole. At first, you could smoke anywhere. Expecting fathers smoked in the maternity waiting rooms. Then, you could smoke in buildings, but only in a designated smoking room.

    Then there came the designated smoking area outside the building. Now restaurants, bars, and whole cities are going smoke-free. It seems that a lot of people have given up their bad habits. However, they do not seem to remember how badly they were addicted before. The truth is that in a way, they are still addicted and always will be. That is how addiction works.

    In an effort to save others from the ill effects of their second hand smoke, many people have switched their bad habits to smokeless tobacco. Just because the tobacco is not smoked, though, it does not mean the nicotine is not addictive. It is said to be just as hard a bad habit to break as cigarettes. People quitting it use patches and nicotine gum or Zyban, too.

    Sleeping pills are bad habits to get into as well. They can be so addictive that you need a higher and higher dosage to fall asleep. Eventually, they will not help at all. Some people overdose in an attempt to reach a dose that will put them to sleep. It usually takes intervention by a doctor and/or a sleep clinic to straighten you out.

    Alcohol can be a bad habit if you drink to excess. For some people with certain physical conditions, it can be risky anyway. It can be dangerous if mixed with particular medications. However, if a person is addicted to alcohol, they will not be concerned with that. Neither will they be concerned about their jobs or their relationships. It will all be about the next drink.

    Drugs pose a variety of bad habits. There are so many illegal drugs that they are too numerous to count. They have different affects and cause different levels of addiction. Some have fast and devastating results. Others do little damage in the short run. Yet, they are all bad habits.

    There are club drugs, heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and hallucinogens. All these drugs can be nasty. There are also legal drugs that people get into bad habits with by starting with an injury or other medical condition. These can be pain pills like percocet, or muscle relaxants. They are also very addictive bad habits.

    If you have an addictive bad habit, you probably need some form of help to get over it. In fact, once you have a serious addiction, experiencing the sights, smells, or sounds of your addiction will start your brain in that addictive mode again. It is no wonder that people struggle for years with addictive bad habits.

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  • Bad Habits Can Be Expensive

    Bad habits can be very expensive to maintain. Never mind that they are annoying to others. Do not think about the pain you cause yourself, if you do not want to. Just remember that your bad habits are hitting you where it hurts-in your wallet.

    Smoking has always been a bad habit to have. In past times, people smoked more cigarettes, but cigarettes were cheaper. Now, many people have cut down on the number of cigarettes they smoke per day. Yet, those few are more expensive now than the many were back then. That’s accounting for inflation, too.

    This is because lawmakers have seen fit to put large taxes on cigarettes. In many areas, the taxes are set to go up even higher. Some states are planning hikes of $10 per carton. If that will not stop you from smoking, what will?

    Alcohol, too, is a bad habit that is subject to sin tax. It depends on how expensive your taste in alcohol is whether it will cost you more or less. Usually, most people will go to drinking less expensive alcohol as their dependency grows. However, it is not unusual for someone to go to a bar on a Friday night and spend their paycheck on alcohol.

    Many people get into bad habits of taking prescription drugs when they have an injury, such as a back injury. They may be given muscle relaxants and strong pain relievers to get them through the first painful days. This is a reasonable medical response to their condition.

    Yet, the medication helps them feel so good that they will want to get more. They may go back to the doctor to get more. If the doctor will not agree, they may go to different doctors to get different prescriptions. All these doctor visits and prescriptions usually come with a price tag. Then, when that no longer works, they will go to get their pain relief medications on the streets. It will cost even more to keep up their bad habits.

    Of course, people who have bad habits with illegal drugs probably have some of the most expensive bad habits of all. Whether it is cocaine, heroin, marijuana, or methamphetamine, there are no cheap drugs. At least, there will not be an unlimited supply of cheap drugs. If a person truly has a bad habit with one of these drugs, they will always want more until they quit. The cost can get to be astronomical.

    Gambling can lead people into financial hardship. Some people have such bad habits with gambling that they lose their houses and everything else they own. They may be in staggering debt on top of that. Now that there is online gambling, they cannot even get away from their bad habits by staying home.

    Shopaholics spend money like there is no tomorrow. This bad habit can destroy a budget. It can take money away from things that need to be paid, like a mortgage or car payment.

    It is clear that these bad habits are costly in the short run. Many of them are also costly over time, as health issues settle in. The cost of cigarettes is high, for example, but the cost of lung cancer is very much higher. Ridding yourself of these bad habits can only help your finances to get better.

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  • Bad Habits in Sports

    Sports are fun to watch and to play, as long as you curb your bad habits. To be successful at any sport, you need to develop the behavior patterns that will lead to winning. A part of this is avoiding certain bad habits.

    Taking care of the body should be of utmost importance to anyone who wants to play sports seriously. Smoking and drinking are bad habits that do not mix well with sports. Smoking cuts a person’s breathing capabilities. It makes the person gasp for air after a short practice run.

    Drinking alcohol is another bad habit for athletes. It dehydrates the body and slows coordination. However, drinking other fluids is necessary. Some sports players have the bad habits of not keeping themselves hydrated. This should not happen, since there are usually plenty of water and electrolyte-rich drinks available at the event.

    Sports players are often entrenched in their bad habits of not getting enough sleep. They are wound up after practices or games and do not feel like going to bed early. They get up to start their training on an early schedule. If they push themselves too hard, they will find that these bad habits will end up taking them out of the game.

    An athlete should never start to play without some sort of stretching or warm-up exercises. Yet, bad habits often prevail. People begin doing their sport without the slightest thought to getting ready. This is important even for a professional athlete. It often happens, though, that an amateur athlete will be more careless about. They do not make it their business to do everything right.

    Sometimes people who play sports occasionally think they can be athletes without much practice. They have the bad habit of doing nothing for weeks or months on end. Then, they jump in and do strenuous sports activities. They believe that they do not need to keep practiced and in shape. This can result in injury and exhaustion.

    Not using proper safety equipment is a bad habit in sports. In professional sports, this equipment is required. If an NFL football player were to make it onto the field without his protective gear, he would be fined heavily.

    In amateur games, people are not so careful about using safety equipment. They may play golf in slick dress shoes instead of golf shoes. This may cause them an injury if they slip and fall. A bicyclist may have the bad habit of not using a helmet if she is an amateur. This can be a dangerous mistake.

    One bad habit people have in sports is not being team players. If a person tries to take all the glory, the team comes to resent him and will not back him up the way they should. If the person works with the team, the team will be a cohesive unit that can accomplish great things.

    Sports can be fun activities or a great way to make a living. Either way, the way you conduct yourself will make all the difference in how you enjoy the game. So, suit up and leave your bad habits on the bench.

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  • Avoiding Bad Habits

    Would it not be nice if you could avoid bad habits instead of having to quit them after starting? No one will avoid all bad habits. There are just too many to stay away from them all. Yet, you can reduce the number of bad habits you have to conquer.

    There are certain bad habits that you can avoid altogether. Your body has no need for nicotine or tar from cigarettes. So, if you do not take that first cigarette, you will never have to face the daunting task of giving them up. It is well worth any social discomfort you might feel to dodge that bullet.

    Other bad habits are a matter of degree. Your body needs food. Many people realize that they will gain a lot of weight if they do not take action. However, you cannot just stop eating altogether. You could for awhile, but that would not be healthy either. Instead you must find a way to limit yourself.

    To avoid the bad habits involved in letting yourself become overweight, you need to think differently. You can do this by thinking of food as a special treat that you only get at certain times. You can eat like a thin person-picking out the best part and leaving the rest. There are a host of different thinking patterns you can take on to avoid getting fat.

    Not exercising is another of the bad habits that will make you gain weight. You may know that you need to get up and move around. You may have every intention to do so. The energy does not seem to be there when you need it. To avoid this bad habit, start slowly. What you may not realize is that the energy will increase as your exercise increases.

    Bad habits of personal hygiene can be avoided by developing a positive routine. If you fear going out in public smelling bad, you can make it a habit to shower every morning. Shower more than once a day if the situation calls for it. Brush your teeth and comb your hair. If you are just starting out on your own, you could even make a list. After all, you are probably past those teen years when everyone else made sure you were decent.

    Relationships are difficult enough without developing bad habits. If you are getting married, make a point of discussing all the possible trouble areas first. You can do this with a pre-marriage counselor or on your own. Either way, it is good to learn how you each can contribute to keeping away the bad habits of jealousy or neglect.

    Many bad habits can be avoided if you will only consider the needs of yourself and of others equally. Putting yourself first at all times makes you selfish and hard to abide. Putting others first all the time just makes you a doormat.

    For every bad habit, there is a way to avoid it. The trouble is that no one can be vigilant enough to control that many behaviors. What is more, many bad habits start before people are old enough to think much about it. If you want to, though, you can pass up some of them.

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