13 Wonder Foods to Fight Diabetes

Nutritious and healthy food is capable of arresting or even reversing diabetes. Here is a list of 13 such wondrous foods that, if eaten consistently, will ward off diabetes -

1. Sweet potatoes: Unlike regular potatoes, sweet potatoes are rich in fiber and Vitamin A along with a low Glycemic index.

2. Tomatoes: Tomatoes offset diabetes with its nutrients like Vitamin C, E, and iron. They can be eaten raw as well as cooked.

3. Fish: Consume fish like salmon, mackerel, tuna, and halibut etc that are rich in omega 3 fatty acids. Cook them in a simple way rather than deep-frying.

4. Apples: Apples are full of fiber and low in calories. Thus, they are able to effectively fight bad cholesterol and diabetes. It is best to eat them with their skin.

5. Avocado: This fruit comes packed with monounsaturated fats and balances blood sugar level. It also contains good fat that is capable of reversing insulin resistance.

6. Berries: Almost all kinds of berries are rich in antioxidants and fiber. They boost the production of insulin and lower down blood sugar.

7. Broccoli: Broccoli contains chromium that stabilizes levels of blood sugar.

8. Carrots: Carrots are extremely rich in beta-carotene that is known to lower the chances of diabetes.

9. Flaxseed: These are rich in fiber, protein, magnesium and good fats. They are known to helps cells in absorbing insulin.

10. Yogurt and Skim Milk: These dairy products are rich in calcium and protein for fighting against insulin resistance that leads to diabetes.

11. Oatmeal: Oatmeal comes loaded with soluble fiber that helps in delayed conversion of consumed carbohydrate into blood sugar.

12. Almonds: Regular intake of 4-5 almonds daily reduces the risk of diabetes as well as cardiovascular disease.

13. Garlic: Garlic is known to elevate the insulin level in the blood. It is rich in Allicin and vitamin B thiamine that activates pancreas for the production of insulin.

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13 Wonder Foods to Fight Diabetes

Can you imagine your life without your cell phone? Difficult isn t it, but did you know that these devices could be harming your sexual health? Most people keep their cell phones in their jeans or trouser pockets or clipped to a belt on their waist. While this does make the phone easily accessible, it also affects male fertility.

There are two main aspects to male fertility; the motility and viability of sperm cells. Motility refers to the sperm cell s ability to swim through body fluids and fertilise the egg. Viability refers to the number of living vs non-living sperm cells and sperm cell abnormalities.

Cell phones are constantly working even when we re not talking into them. They constantly send out and receive electromagnetic frequency radiation to keep your social media accounts updated. Given the close proximity of the cell phone and your body, this energy may be absorbed by your genitals. As a result, the sperm cells may change shape and lose their ability to attach themselves to an egg. The structural abnormality may impede the sperm s ability to swim and thus reduce motility. Semen exposed to this type of radiation also has a high level of free radicals.

In order to produce sperm, the testicles maintain a specific temperature that is ideal for sperm health. Smartphones typically also have a higher temperature than that of the room you are in. Thus, when you keep your cell phone in your pant pockets, they increase your skin temperature in the groin by approximately 2 degrees as well as the temperature within your testicles. This slows down the production of sperm cells and can even kill them thus, reducing sperm cell viability.

In the ideal world, a cell phone should only be carried in a bag, but almost all men may cringe at the thought of carrying a bag. Hence, take your phone out of your pocket whenever possible, for example while driving, at a restaurant etc. The use of Ayurvedic aphrodisiacs can also lower the harmful effects of cell phones. The dried roots of asparagus or safed musli can help increase sperm count and rejuvenate a man s libido. Ashwagandha, shilajit and kawach are also very effective Ayurvedic herbs to treat male infertility. Increasing your intake of food rich in vitamin C and E can also help deal with the stress in sperm caused by phone radiation. The use of these herbs has negligible side effects and hence can be safely used by men of all ages.

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Cell Phone in Pocket - Did You Know It Can Reduce Male Fertility?

There was an era where we had deadly infections like plague and polio causing death of thousands of people. We still have occasional outbreak of swine flu, but by and large, infections are quite controlled. The new killer diseases are caused because of the lifestyle we have adapted and the damage we have done to the environment. High intake of processed foods, artificial chemicals in our foods, sedentary lifestyle with very minimal to no physical activity, couching over the computers; the list is quite long. All these have led to diseases like diabetes and cancer that were not so common about say few decades ago.

Detailed observation has revealed that both these new epidemiologic diseases have a close correlation. There are factors, which induce diabetes and diabetes in turn and in some cases, diabetes inducing agents, can cause cancer also. It has also been observed that mortality is severely increased if diabetic patients are diagnosed with cancer. There are two types of diabetes. While type 1 is mostly hereditary, type 2 is lifestyle induced and the age at which this is being diagnosed is taking a severe plunge. Adolescents and teenagers are being diagnosed for diabetes. Cancer, on the other hand, is of various types (leukaemia, melanoma, etc.) and can affect various organs (lung, breast, prostate, stomach, liver, etc.).

The medical community is yet to decipher the disease pattern of both these conditions. While there is no definite correlation between diabetes and all types of cancer, some types of cancer are definitely correlated with a definite reason identified, pancreatic and liver cancer for instance. The high amounts of insulin that diabetic patients are exposed to causes changes in liver and pancreas including fatty liver and cirrhosis, here the incidence of cancer is higher. The linkage is not very clear in lung and intestinal cancers and also there is no link between prostate cancer and diabetes.

Diabetes is considered as a state of chronic inflammation and leads to conditions like hyperinsulinemia (higher levels of insulin in the blood) hyperglycemia (higher levels of sugar in the blood). These are believed to aggravate the neoplastic process of cancer formation, thereby inducing cancer at a greater pace and also increasing the mortality rates.

The following are risk factors that are applicable to both age, physical activity, diet, obesity, drinking and smoking. It is also possible that onset of one can be followed by the other. As noted earlier, more detailed research is awaited to establish a definite linkage, but the correlation cannot be ignored at all.

Both these new epidemics are here to stay and since they have a common set of factors, we need to work on ways to contain them.

Diabetes and Cancer: The New Epidemic?

Performing physical activities on a daily basis always have its benefits, but doing exercise in a well-planned manner is essential for those people who suffer from either type-1 or type-2 diabetes. Becoming more active helps lower blood sugar levels and keep diabetes under control.

Relation between exercise and sugar levels
The food we consume contains sugars which are stored in our blood in the form of glucose. This glucose is absorbed by the muscles in our body, but body fat is the enemy of this absorption process. An obese person is prone to type-2 diabetes since excessive amounts of fat are present in the body which does not allow the muscles to absorb the glucose from the blood. This results in more glucose or sugar level in the blood which leads to diabetes.

By regularly exercising, a person not only burns his/her excessive body fat, but also makes use of the muscles in his body thus allowing the muscles to absorb the glucose present in the blood readily. This helps reduce the sugar level in the blood. Moreover, doing exercise on a regular basis helps increase insulin sensitivity. It helps cells to use available insulin in taking up glucose during and after physical activity.

Understanding blood glucose reaction
The duration for which you perform physical activities will determine your blood glucose level. Physical activity has its effect on your blood glucose level and can keep it in check for up to 24 hours by increasing your body s insulin sensitivity. Every individual needs to monitor how his body responds to physical exercise by regularly monitoring the blood sugar level before and after exercise or as advised by the doctor.
Once you are familiar with the results you achieve with respect to duration and types of exercises you perform you shall be able to control your blood sugar levels more effectively and prevent your sugar levels from going either too high or too low.

Hypoglycemia and physical activity
People who have diabetes should be prepared to treat hypoglycemia or low blood sugar level. Hypoglycemia is more common in people with type-1 diabetes, and people with type-2 diabetes are at lesser risk unless they are on insulin. Individuals who experience Hypoglycemia during or after exercise should consult a doctor immediately.

If you choose to resume your exercise routine, make sure you take a break and treat your low blood sugar level. Once your sugar level gets normal, you can begin your physical activity. What you need to know is that a drop, in sugar level, can occur just after exercise or even long after exercise.

Chances of a drop, in sugar level, occur in those diabetic people who either take insulin, skip meals, or exercise for too long or too hard. If you are finding it hard to keep your sugar level in check, consult a doctor immediately and follow his advice diligently.

In order to avoid hypoglycaemia, you can eat a fruit or nuts before exercise. It is also very important to hydrate yourself during the exercise. Ideally, take a fruit half hour before exercising. Keep yourself hydrated during the workout. Avoid energy drinks.

Why Exercising Is Important In Reducing Sugar Level In Blood?

How Thyroid issues affect your weight - When I talk with women suffering with unexpected weight gain, often one of the first questions I am asked is "Is it my thyroid?"

Sometimes, my answer is "Yes" - after all, our thyroid hormones play a huge role in regulating our metabolism and how we use nutrients.

And research shows that even small changes to the thyroid function can cause weight gain. In fact, many women who have been told their thyroid test results are "normal" may still have a reduced thyroid function (subclinical hypothyroidism) that's enough to cause weight gain and other bothersome symptoms.

At the clinic, I work with women suffering from a wide range of thyroid issues from those just starting to suspect they have a thyroid problem to those already taking medication. And I tell each and every one of them how they can benefit from natural thyroid support and a holistic approach that considers thyroid function as part of overall hormonal balance.

The thyroid and unexpected weight gain: an early signal - Unexpected weight gain and difficulty losing weight may be one of the first noticeable signals that you're struggling with hypothyroidism (a sluggish thyroid) or subclinical hypothyroidism. Many women tell me about their frustration with gaining five pounds every year and not being able to figure out why!

Reduced thyroid function may be the result of the thyroid's impaired ability to produce hormones, or the body may have difficulty using the thyroid hormones. Either way, problems with your thyroid hormones may cause the rate at which you use nutrients (your metabolic rate) to slow down.

We are especially prone to thyroid issues and weight gain as women because the thyroid is linked to other systems that affect weight including the proper functioning of our neurotransmitters, reproductive hormones, and adrenal glands.

Thyroid issues affect women of all ages - While we see women of all ages with thyroid issues, there are times in your life when your hormones fluctuate more and when the development of thyroid issues may be even more likely.

If you have any questions related to thyroid, ask me by clicking on 'Consult'.

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Revealed - How Thyroid Issues Affect Your Weight

How to Prevent Your Child from Developing Type 2 Diabetes?

Type 2 diabetes (T2DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder that prevents the body from processing sugar or glucose. The disorder causes insufficient production of the hormone Insulin (responsible for regulating sugar into the different parts of your body); or the body's failure to respond to the hormone produced. Although no cure is available for T2DM, there are several ways in which you can help prevent Type 2 diabetes in your child. These are:

1. Get your child to indulge in some physical activity

Spending about 60 minutes of the day on physical activity can help your child to ward off Type 2 diabetes. In terms of screen time, it shouldn't be over 2 hours a day. By doing so, he or she ends up building his or her muscles as well as gets rid of extra fat from the body. An active life would also help your child to maintain an optimal body weight with obesity being a cause of this form of diabetes. Whether it's a sport like swimming, cricket or basketball, or even walking and dancing, physical activity in any form can help in preventing your child from developing Type 2 diabetes.

2. Plan a well-balanced diet for your child

Encouraging your child to have healthy foods and making right food choices can also lower his or her chances of getting this metabolic disorder. Foods high in fiber like whole grain cereals and bread, lentils, fruits, and vegetables should be consumed. Similarly, foods low in trans and saturated fats like lean meat, chicken, yogurt and cheese should be included in your child's diet. Processed foods, as well as sugary drinks, should be no-no when it comes to your child's diet.

3. Adopting proper eating habits

It is not only making the right food choices that are important but eating right as well is vital for preventing the onset of diabetes. Having meals with fix portion sizes is a habit that you need to develop in your child. Ideally, half the plate should be filled with vegetables and fruits; a quarter with lean protein like chicken; and the remaining with whole grain. To accompany the meal, make your child have one cup of no-fat or low-fat milk. Desserts like ice cream and cookies should be allowed only once or twice a week.



How to Prevent Your Child from Developing Type 2 Diabetes?

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