Sugar addiction is basically a relentless sugar craving that is triggered in the brain due to mental hunger or an inherent sweet tooth. Yet, excessive sugar is not a good thing in the long run. It can lead to diabetes and various other issues like high cholesterol, hypertension, and obesity. Also, people whose grandparents have suffered from diabetes need to be especially careful of such sweet cravings as it may trigger the same problem in them too. So how can you cut sugar out of your life? Here's a list of tips.

- Detox or Gradual Scaling Down: While many people are in favour of gradually scaling down your sugar intake and slowly cutting it out of your life in a matter of weeks and months, there are experts who believe in stopping intake of it. A clean break from sugar is said to have a beneficial detox like effect on the brain and body. Many experts recommend cutting sugar out of your life in one clean swipe.
- Replacements: Using other substances like honey or even extracts from the Stevia plant are known to be a good replacement plan for cutting down your sugar addiction. You can start by introducing your system to these replacements in your daily beverages like tea, coffee or lemonade, before moving on to the use of organic honey for desserts and baking, as well as other sugar-free desserts and puddings.
- Fruits: The best way to get your sugar indulgence fixed is to have a good dose of fruit. This can help in giving you a good amount of dietary sugars which are natural and do not harm the body in the long run. Also, fruits are a healthy way of ingesting sugar even as you get valuable nutrients, vitamins and mineral - one arrow, many targets!
- Clean Up: Take a walk around your home and find all those secret candy stashes. Also, look for your dessert and pudding trays in the fridge. Now take all this out and give them away or trash them. Once you remove the option of snacking on sugary treats, you will be in a better place to avoid it altogether.
- Magnesium: Your chocolate craving might actually be a call for magnesium that your body is missing out on. Similarly, a mental hunger pang may actually be a need for water or some solid food. Avoid the sugary rush and take the healthy route instead, with the help of nuts and dairy.

Controlling your sugar addiction can save you from various ailments even as it gives you a healthier lifestyle.

How to Deal with Sugar Addiction

Diabetes is probably one of the worst enemies of human health. Why? That is because unlike many other diseases which make you aware of their presence in your body instantly, diabetes is a silent attacker. So, you may continue to be unaware of the disease for a very long time, before you suddenly realize that something is wrong with your body one day. And then tests reveal that you are afflicted with diabetes.

In order to make sure that this doesn't happen to you, you have to keep an eye on the symptoms of diabetes because prevention, no matter how tedious it is, is always better than the cure. Here is a look at the usual but often ignored signs which indicate that you might be suffering from diabetes.

If you are taking more bathroom breaks than usual, and if the rate of going to the loo is increasing gradually with time, it can well be a sign of diabetes. When you are suffering from diabetes, your body becomes less efficient in breaking down the consumed food into sugars and utilising it. Therefore, a lot of sugar gets saturated in your bloodstream and your body gets rid of it by flushing it out through urination.
If you urinate a lot, it is self-evident that you would also feel very thirsty all the time. In some cases, the patients don't realize their problem and drink chocolate milk or aerated drinks which have sweet flavours. This leads to excess sugar in your body again, and the problem continues. So all in all, if you feel very thirsty all the time, get yourself checked.
You might lose weight, and it may really seem like a great thing in the beginning but it is not. When a person has diabetes, he is likely to lose his weight because of the decreasing water level in his body as well as the inability of the body to break down food into more suitable forms.
If you are tired all the time, and by all the time we mean even after getting up from a long and good night's sleep, you may have diabetes. The reason for this is that fatigue comes to you when your body cannot produce enough energy from the food you consume, and this happens only when you have diabetes.
If your cuts and bruises heal slower than ever, you definitely are a victim of diabetes. This is because the immunity and clotting system of your body don't work well when there is a saturation of sugars in your body.

5 Signs That You're Suffering from Diabetes

Can Exercise Help Control Blood Sugar Levels?

It is an established fact that regular physical exercise has wonderful effects on the overall health of a person. People of all ages can reap the benefits of exercise that take manifestation in all the various systems of the human body.

One such healthy effect of exercise is that it can help control blood sugar levels. For those who have been diagnosed with diabetes, exercise works like any other drug in keeping blood glucose at an optimal level. It also helps in preventing further health complications that may be caused by this condition, such as heart disease or strokes.

How does exercise control blood sugar?

Exercise affects the body's blood glucose levels in the following ways:

- Exercising increases insulin sensitivity, which makes the body more capable of using insulin to take up available excess glucose in the bloodstream.

- Muscle contractions during exercise stimulate the cells to use up glucose to produce energy.

- Heightened cardiovascular activity while exercising burns through blood glucose a lot faster.

It is necessary to keep checking blood sugar levels at regular intervals, especially if you suffer from diabetes. Working out has different effects on different individuals, depending on the duration and intensity of exercise and the overall health and medical history of the person.

What are the best ways to use exercise to reduce blood sugar levels?

It is important to chalk out a suitable exercise routine that is tailored specifically to your individual needs. Consult a health care specialist or physical therapist for formulating the best possible workout regime for your specific requirements.

Most experts recommend engaging in moderately intense exercise for a minimum of 150 minutes in a week.

A few examples of activities that fall under this category are as follows:

-Brisk walking
-Cycling
-Swimming
-Squats and lunges
-Stretching exercises
-Yoga

One thing that diabetes patients should always keep in mind is that over-exercising must be avoided. Excessively strenuous workouts can lead to hypoglycemia (deficiency of blood glucose) which is a highly unsavory condition.



Can Exercise Help Control Blood Sugar Levels?

The disease itself may not discriminate on the gender basis, but when it comes to healthcare for patients with diabetes, women find themselves at a disadvantage as compared to men. Studies indicate that diabetes, a disease that affects over 371 million people worldwide takes a greater toll on women than men. Though, hormones in women do account for some of the unique challenges they have to face, but there are other societal factors as well that bring in the differences.

This World Diabetes Day is about promoting the significance of affordable care for diabetes and equitable access for all women at risk or living with diabetes to essential medicines, technological information and self-management education they require and achieve an optimal outcome to strengthen their adequacy to prevent type-2 diabetes. Because it's your right to a healthy and disease-free future!

So, how will you know if you are suffering from this deadly disease   Diabetes?

Symptoms

Women with diabetes experience many of the same symptoms as that of men. However, there are some that are specific to women.

Symptoms experienced by both women and men:

Frequent urination

Increased thirst and hunger

Unnecessary weight loss or gain

Blurred vision

Fatigue

Wounds that heal slowly

Skin infections

Nausea

Breath that has a sweet or fruity odor

Irritability

Reduced feeling in hands or feet

Symptoms unique to women:

Vaginal yeast infections

Urinary infections

Vaginal thrush

Polycystic ovary syndrome

Female sexual dysfunction

Diabetes is the ninth leading cause of death in women globally, causing 2.1 million deaths each year. Two out of every five women suffering from diabetes are of reproductive age. Women with diabetes have more difficulty conceiving and may have poor pregnancy outcomes.

Diabetes and Pregnancy

The affect of Diabetes, in a pregnancy, will not be great, if controlled properly. Women with diabetes should talk to their gynaecologists while planning to conceive so that they can control their blood sugar levels even before getting pregnant. Your gynaecologist will help you control and monitor your diabetes and blood sugar levels during pregnancy.

And, if you fail to get your blood sugar levels under control during pregnancy, you may experience severe risks:

Miscarriage

Premature delivery

Difficult delivery or cesarean section (C-section)

Birth defects

Having a large baby

Preeclampsia (high blood pressure usually with protein in the urine)

Low blood glucose in a newborn

Breathing problems in the newborn

Yellowing skin and eyes (jaundice) in a newborn

Worsening diabetic eye problems and kidney problems for the mother

Urinary or bladder infections

What is Gestational Diabetes?

When diabetes occurs in women during pregnancy, it is called gestational diabetes. It is usually diagnosed at the first week of pregnancy. Like in type 1 and type 2 diabetes, blood sugar levels become too high. When a woman is pregnant, more glucose is required to nourish the baby developing inside her womb. During this time, the body needs additional insulin, which is produced by the pancreas. In some women, the body does not produce enough insulin to meet this need, and blood sugar levels rise, resulting in gestational diabetes. 

Fortunately, for most women, gestational diabetes will go away once the baby is delivered. However, women who have had gestational diabetes are at increased risk of developing type-2 diabetes. Further, people suffering from PTSD are at higher risk and should consult their doctors immediately and those who are presently affected with Diabetes should consult for pre-conception consultation.

Risk Factors for Diabetes in Women

You are at risk for type-2 diabetes if you:

are overweight or obese

are older than 45

have a family history of diabetes (parent or sibling)

have had gestational diabetes

have had a baby with a birth weight of more than 9 pounds

have high blood pressure

have high cholesterol

have other health conditions that are linked to problems using insulin, such as PCOS

Diabetes Treatment Options

Medications

There are various medications you can take to control the symptoms of diabetes. These include:

Insulin therapy

Sulfonylureas like chlorpropamide, which increase pancreatic insulin secretion

Metformin (Glucophage), which reduces blood sugar

Lifestyle changes

A change in your diet and lifestyle can also help women control their diabetes

Exercise and maintain a healthy weight

Monitor your blood sugar

Eat a diet focused on fruits, vegetables, and whole grains

Strictly avoid smoking cigarettes

Alternative remedies

Women with diabetes can try other alternative remedies to treat the symptoms, such as 

Eat more broccoli, buckwheat, sage, peas, and fenugreek seeds

Take supplements like chromium or magnesium

Take plant supplements

But, always remember to consult with your doctor before trying any new treatment. Even if they are natural, they can intrude with your on-going treatment or medications. So, this World Diabetes Day, take a pledge towards healthy living... because your health is important to someone else!



type diabetes

Diabetes In Women - Because It's Your Right To A Healthy Future!

Top 5 things all diabetics must do

As you are aware, diabetes is an increasingly common problem not only in adults but with children and young people too. Preventing or delaying diabetes is possible with a few lifestyle changes. And for those who have been diagnosed with type-2 diabetes, changes in lifestyle can prove beneficial to keep it under control. This is important and should not be taken lightly as diabetes can lead to other serious health complications. There are few simple things which if done regularly can keep you safe and absolutely fine.

5 ways to combat diabetes.

1) exercise - do minimum 45 to 30 minutes of exercise like brisk walking (for people with heart ailments make sure that you have done stress test/tmt). Keep yourself physically active all the time this will help you in losing weight, controlling blood sugar, blood pressure, cholesterol. It will also improve insulin sensitivity in your body. 
2) high fiber diet - include high fiber foods like fruits, vegetables, leafy vegetables, beans, nuts, seeds, and whole grains, cinnamon, green tea in your diet. This will improve your blood sugar level and also reduce your risk of developing diabetes and helps you to lose weight. Do not get into fad diets and tv commercials as they are often misleading.
3) reduce stress - tension and worry releases certain chemicals (stress hormones) which can increase your blood sugar level. Try relaxation therapy like meditation, yoga, music and soundful sleep.
4) restrict intake of alcohol - alcohol increases body weight, triglyceride (cholesterol) level and blood pressure. They may make you unaware of symptoms of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar which may be dangerous). They are empty calorie with no nutritional value. Permissible limit is 2 drinks (60ml) a day for men and 1 drink (60ml) for women, it is also not advisable to smoke.
5) regular check-ups - make sure that you regularly check your blood sugar levels and modify treatment from your diabetologist doctor (if required.) your body and your friend/ relative / colleague's body are different, so is your need of medicine for diabetes as well. What works best for them may not be right for you. So it is my sincere request is to avoid any self medication as it can be dangerous. Regularly undergo screening for early detection of diabetes complications like eye, nerve, heart, foot, kidney.

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Top 5 Things All Diabetics Must Do

Diabetes is a condition that affects the pancreas to the extent that it does not release the required quantity of insulin, which can lead to a high blood sugar level as the body starts to absorb excess glucose from the food that it ingests. This can be of various types and have different implications for different patients. While many experts insist that keeping a low cholesterol level and low weight is a primary requirement for the treatment of diabetes patients, there are a number of myths in this regard. Not eating fat is one such myth that we are out to prove wrong today.

So read on to find out why diabetic people need to eat fat:

Saturated Fats and Trans Fats: There are studies that demonstrate how saturated fats can actually prove to be beneficial for diabetes patients. These can be found in various sources like fish and nuts. This releases heptadecanoic acids, which can normalise the blood sugar levels as well as the insulin and triglyceride levels in the body.
Dairy Fat: The use of milk and yogurt as well as butter can actually be helpful in bringing the blood sugar levels down. It also shows up favourably on the lipoprotein markers. Butter, in particular, is known to have clarifying properties that can bring down the risk of diabetes as well. One must take care to use dairy products that are fat-free. 
Animal Fat: Having meat which releases fat and having dairy products like cheese and milk which releases healthy saturated fats are two different things. One can replace carbs and meat with these kinds of products so that there are better absorption and creation of quality animal fats which can actually help the insulin levels.
Monounsaturated and Polyunsaturated Fats: Food items like fish and nuts that carry high levels of Omega-3 fatty acids as well as monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can help patients suffering from diabetes by clearing the bloodstream of cholesterol and high lipid levels. This also prevents the risk of heart disease and arterial blockages. These kinds of fats are also found in flax seeds, soya products and walnuts. 
Going low on carbohydrates and avoiding sugar is usually recommended for patients suffering from diabetes. Yet, it is important to have your fill of essential fats as mentioned above with the help of dairy products, clarified better, omega three fatty acids, dry fruits, soya products and some amount of vegetable oils, as these actually have a number of benefits for these patients.

Why Do Diabetic People Need To Eat Fat?

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