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Type 2 Diabetes: Treat with a Healthy Diet

Friday, April 30, 2010 by: Melanie Grimes, citizen journalist
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(NaturalNews) Over 23 million American have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes and another six million are suspected to have the condition but are not yet diagnosed. Diet and proper nutrition play an important role in the prevention and treatment of diabetes. Eating healthy foods in the proper balanced amounts can help lower blood sugar and manage the symptoms of type 2 diabetes. Balancing carbohydrates, eliminating sugars, and adding protein will help stabilize blood glucose in people with type 2 diabetes.

Carbohydrates and Sugar in a Diabetic Diet
Diabetics need to be watchful for "good" carbs and "bad" carbs. Good carbs contain complex carbohydrates and burn slower, helping to stabilize blood glucose. Bad carbs cause insulin to spike in the blood and should be avoided. Bad carbs are found in sugar, refined white flour, corn sugar, and, unfortunately, fruits and juices. Because of the valuable nutrients in fruits, they can be included in a diabetic diet in small amounts, but fruit juices are best avoided. To add fruit juice to the diet without spiking insulin levels, juice can be diluted at least 50/50, so that the benefits of the fruit can be enjoyed without adding sugar to the bloodstream.

Beans for Diabetes
The American Diabetes Association recommends a half-cup of beans a day. Beans contain carbohydrates along with as much protein as an ounce of meat. Beans also contain magnesium and fiber.

Fiber for Type 2 Diabetics
Fiber is necessary in a diabetes diet because it lowers blood sugar. Fiber has been shown to prevent the onset of diabetes and it can also lower LDL cholesterol levels. Grains and beans are an excellent source of fiber, as are nuts, most fruits and vegetables. Potatoes and apples contain an especially soft type of fiber that is easy on the digestive tract. The recommended amount of fiber in the diet is 25 to 30 grams per day.

Nuts: Diabetic Superfood
Nuts are an excellent source of fiber and magnesium, a nutrient needed in a diabetic diet. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in some nuts, including walnuts. Nuts contain healthy fats that are good for the body and help slow the digestion of carbohydrates, leading to a lowering of blood sugar. The American Diabetes Association lists nuts as one of the superfoods for diabetics.

Protein is Good for Diabetics
Add protein to every meal to help slow the release of blood sugar. One quarter of each meal should come from protein foods, advises the American Diabetes Association.

With proper diet, the symptoms of type 2 diabetes can be mitigated or avoided.

http://www.umm.edu/altmed/articles/...
http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fi...
http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fi...
http://www.naturalnews.com/027896_d...
http://www.naturalnews.com/028033_c...


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Vitamin D reduces diabetes risk by 43 percent - is there anything this vitamin can't do?

Tuesday, April 27, 2010 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer

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(NaturalNews) A team from Warwick Medical School in the U.K. has found that people who maintain healthy vitamin D levels are 43 percent less likely to get heart disease or diabetes. After evaluating 28 different studies conducted on nearly 100,000 people, researchers concluded that people who eat oily fish two or three times a week and five servings of fruits and vegetables a day are able to achieve healthy levels of vitamin D.

While the team evaluated only natural sources of vitamin D, including from sunlight exposure and consumption of oily fish like tuna, salmon, and mackerel, it is probable that supplementation with natural vitamin D3 would prove to have the same effect.

Published in the journal Maturitas, the study revealed that high levels of vitamin D reduce the risk of developing cardiovascular disease by 33 percent, metabolic syndrome by 51 percent, and type-2 diabetes by an astounding 55 percent.

According to Dr. Johanna Parker, one of the study authors, sunlight exposure is the best way to get vitamin D. "People should expose themselves for 30 minutes twice a week – this means exposing the face and arms with no sunscreen. This would provide the body with adequate vitamin D," she explained.

Some experts recommend getting sunlight exposure every single day, especially in the summer when the sun delivers the most ultraviolet (UV) rays which produce vitamin D in the skin. Twenty minutes of sunlight exposure on a summer day can produce a healthy 20,000 IU of vitamin D in the skin, delivering optimal protection from all kinds of diseases.

Last summer, a study published in Diabetes Educator also found that vitamin D helps to prevent diabetes and can even help those who already have the disease. "Vitamin D has widespread benefits for our health and certain chronic diseases in particular," said Sue Penckofer, Ph.D., R.N., and co-author of that study.

It appears that people who have diabetes are generally low in vitamin D, which is also the case with many other diseases. Since vitamin D-deficiency and serious illness are so closely related, many medical professionals are advising people to have their levels checked to be sure they fall within a healthy range. More often than not, people who are acutely ill are deficient in the necessary vitamin.

If one is deficient in the vitamin, it is best to get more sunlight exposure, eat foods with vitamin D, and supplement with vitamin D3 in order to achieve optimal levels.

Sources for this story include:

http://www.google.com/hostednews/uk...

http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/art...

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Bananas, Raisins and Bran: Let Your Diet Lower Your Blood Pressure

Sunday, April 25, 2010 by: Melanie Grimes, citizen journalist
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(NaturalNews) High blood pressure afflicts over 74 million Americans. The cause of high blood pressure, or HBP, is not known in many cases, but diet and exercise have been shown to help reduce blood pressure and improve quality of life. Raw fruits and vegetables can help alleviate many of the symptoms of high blood pressure, and specific foods have been shown to have a more dramatic action on reducing blood pressure. Daily exercise is also an important tool in maintaining a healthy heart.

Bananas Lower Blood Pressure
Research has shown that two bananas a day can lower blood pressure. A study conducted in 1997 concluded that 5 bananas a day had the same effect as blood pressure lowering drugs. Research conducted in India in 1999 showed that two bananas a day lowered blood pressure by 10%. Study subjects at the Kasturba Medical College in Manipal ate two bananas a day for one week to achieve this level blood pressure lowering action from the bananas.

Salt Raises Blood Pressure
The American Heart Association suggests a diet with less than 1,500 mg of salt a day. Raw fruits and vegetables contain very low amounts of salt compared to processed or canned foods. When eating canned foods, rinsing the foods can help eliminate some of the salt added in food processing.

Potassium
Foods containing potassium can offset salt intake, as sodium and potassium work together in the body to help lower blood pressure. The daily recommended intake of potassium is 4,700 mg a day. This averages out to about 5 servings of vegetables or fruits each day.

Raisins Lower Blood Pressure
Raisins are a good source of potassium, as well as iron, and provide a nutritious way to lower blood pressure. Raisins contain a quarter of the daily requirement of potassium and low amounts of salt. A serving of raisins has 1,400 mg of potassium and only 50 mg of sodium.

Wheat Bran Contains Fiber and Lowers Blood Pressure
Wheat bran is another excellent source of potassium and a good food to help lower blood pressure. Wheat bran has over 1,100 mg of potassium per serving. Bran also contains fiber and research has shown that fiber lowers blood pressure. Adding fiber to the diet also helps improve digestion, aids elimination, and reduces high levels of cholesterol in the blood.

Alcohol Raises Blood Pressure
Research has shown that drinking alcohol can raise blood pressure. A study published in the "Journal of Human Hypertension" showed that alcohol consumption raises blood pressure and damages the blood vessel walls as well.

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http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2...
http://www.weightlossforall.com/pot...
http://www.glycemic-index.org/high-...

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How to Manage Stress and Anxiety Naturally

Thursday, April 22, 2010 by: Fleur Hupston, citizen journalist
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(NaturalNews) Stress is the body's way of dealing with potentially dangerous situations, heightening adrenaline levels and increasing alertness. However, prolonged stress and anxiety can be detrimental to mental and physical health. Understanding stress and anxiety and how to deal with it in a natural way can help to eliminate some of the harmful effects stress has on the body.

Short term stress is normal and contributes to winning the race, studying for an exam, preparing well for a presentation at work or doing well at a job interview. Unfortunately, people these days rush through life at a frenetic pace, cramming more and more into their busy schedules. Many experience more stress every day than their bodies are designed to cope with. Just getting to work during rush hour traffic can be a very stressful experience for a lot of people.

Chronic Stress and Anxiety

Generally stress is the physical reaction to a current situation, while anxiety is the stress experienced due to an event or situation anticipated in the future.

When stress becomes prolonged, it is considered to be chronic. It can affect health, moods, productivity, relationships and quality of life. It is this type of prolonged stress that needs to be managed.

What are Some of the Causes of Stress?

There are a number of major contributors of stress and anxiety. The death of a spouse, divorce, marriage separation, a jail term, the death of a close relative, injury or illness, marriage, being fired from a job, marriage reconciliation and retirement are considered to be among the leading causes of chronic stress.

Effects of Chronic Stress

Many health conditions and problems have been directly linked to chronic stress and anxiety. Some of these effects include obesity, autoimmune diseases, skin conditions such as eczema, heart disease, digestive problems, sleep problems and even general body pain.

How to Reduce and Manage Stress Naturally

Stress is a part of life for most people and cannot be eliminated completely, but it can be managed by a number of natural methods. Some of these natural ways of controlling stress include:

Exercise - exercise will improve overall health and give one a sense of well being by the release of endorphins, thus boosting confidence and lowering stress levels. Regular exercise can also decrease the production of stress hormones and therefore help to better manage stressful situations. Reducing stress through exercise can give one a sense of well being and confidence. The more stress is reduced; the easier it becomes to cope with and eliminate stress.

Relaxation - learning relaxation techniques will help to relax both mind and body, which is essential in the quest for better stress management. Relaxation can lower heart rate and blood pressure and increase blood flow to organs and muscles, allowing an individual to feel more in control of a situation. A visit to a professional to learn relaxation techniques may be necessary, since relaxing can be surprisingly difficult for someone who is always tense and stressed.

Exercise and relaxation should be a regular feature of a busy life. People complain that they just don't have time to go to the gym to exercise or the time to find a quite place in order to relax. What they fail to grasp is that people who exercise and relax are less stressed and probably more productive in the long run. Most companies give their staff a lunch break - use it, not to work, but to exercise and relax.

http://www.health24.com/medical/Con...
http://helpguide.org/mental/stress_...
http://stress.about.com/
http://www.webmd.com/balance/stress...
http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/st...


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Green tea prevents eye disease

Saturday, April 17, 2010 by: Ethan A. Huff, staff writer

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(NaturalNews) Recent research out of Hong Kong is indicating that certain substances found in green tea work to penetrate eye tissue and prevent eye disease. Catechins, a type of antioxidant, are one such substance that researchers say helps to prevent ocular degeneration and oxidative stress.

Published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, the paper presented by the research team from the Department of Ophthalmology and Visual Sciences at the University of Hong Kong explains how eye tissues, such as the lens and retina, actually absorb beneficial nutrients and protect the overall eye structure from disease. The paper is one of the first of its kind to illustrate this specific benefit.

The growing list of health benefits that can be derived from consuming green tea is noteworthy. It is chock full of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that protect the body against a host of different ailments. Vitamins C and E, lutein and zeaxanthin, which are all present in green tea, happen to provide specific protection to the eyes against diseases like glaucoma.

For the study, scientists fed laboratory rats green tea for a period of time and later dissected and analyzed their eye tissues. They found that significant amounts of catechins had been absorbed into the rats' eyes. The retina absorbed the most gallocatechins while the aqueous humor absorbed the most epigallocatechins.

Prior to the study, researchers had only speculated about potential ocular benefits from drinking green tea. It was unknown whether or not the nutrients in green tea were actually capable of making their way through a person's system, permeating eye tissue, and offering any substantial benefit. The study has verified that green tea's components are, indeed, capable of spreading throughout the body and into the eye, offering up to 20 hours of protection.

The epigallocatechin-3-gallates (EGCG) in green tea have been shown to stop the growth of malignant cancer cells. A study conducted in China revealed that the more green tea a person drinks, the less risk he or she has of developing stomach, esophageal, prostate, pancreatic and colorectal cancers.

Green tea's catechins also help to prevent blood clots, atherosclerosis, heart disease, diabetes, stroke and dementia, and they effectively lower bad cholesterol levels.

Research seems to indicate that regular consumption of green tea offers the greatest benefits. As opposed to black tea, green tea is unfermented, which for tea means that it contains the highest level of beneficial nutrients and antioxidants.

Sources for this story include:

http://www.allabouttea.co.uk/tea-ne...

http://www.webmd.com/food-recipes/f...

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