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Sodium Reabsorption - Healthy Life Portal

2011-07-10T13:43:40Z

Sodium Reabsorption

Sodium gets reabsorbed as sodium chloride, or common table salt.Sodium reabsorption illustrates the body’s excellent ability to conserve nutrients. This ability probably evolved as a mechanism to conserve sodium and chloride. Reabsorption of sodium as sodium chloride can work against us by precipitating diet-related high blood pressure. Most processed foods contain large quantities of salt, and people often liberally add salt to food.

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Sodium and chloride as they occur naturally in unprocessed foods are probably not a serious problem. Unprocessed foods contain sodium in a myriad of forms, including very small amounts of sodium chloride. For example, sodium is found as citrate in citrus fruits and glutamate in grains. As a result, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains contain naturally balanced forms of sodium and don’t have an excess of either sodium or chloride. In fact, the amount of chloride naturally present in foods, along with the body’s ability to reabsorb 99 percent of sodium, suggests that very little dietary sodium is required. Normal active adults get along well on only about 300 milligrams of sodium daily, and some experts claim even less is sufficient.

Processed food is very rich in salt, fats, sugar, and hydrogenated oils to increase taste intensity. Such high salt intake could results in high blood pressure, which is a common disease in our modern world. Return to natural foods, fruits, grains, vegetables, meat, fish, poultry—anything that grows from the ground, on the ground, on trees, walks, swims, or flies. Do not prepare or eat anything with elaborate sauces or coatings. Boil, broil, barbecue, bake, or poach without adding salt. It works! Unsalted food may seem bland at first, but in a short time you’ll start savoring flavors that you didn’t know were present. A new world of taste will open up to you.

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Prevention Of Type 2 Diabetes - Healthy Life Portal

2011-07-10T05:09:59Z

Prevention Of Type 2 Diabetes

The most important aspect of any diet to prevent type 2 diabetes is its calorie content. If calorie intake exceeds calorie usage, then the excess calories will be directed toward the body’s energy storage compartment, which is the fat tissue. Therefore, a diet that matches calorie consumption with output is the key to prevention of overweight and obesity and therefore diabetes.

If one is already overweight, then the diet should provide fewer calories than are required, so that energy will be drawn from the body fat stores and gradual weight loss will occur. Even modest weight loss can be very beneficial. The benefits can be shown very early, almost as soon as calorie intake drops below that required to maintain body weight and before significant weight loss actually occurs. The consumption side of this balance is, of course, food intake. The output side that we can control is exercise. Neither can operate successfully to regulate weight independent of the other.

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Very caloriedense foods, such as those with a high fat content (e.g., cheese, ice cream, fried foods, and processed meats) are common components of diets that lead to weight gain, obesity, and ultimately diabetes. Although sugar itself does not cause diabetes, foods with a high content of refined sugar, such as sodas and candies, are also more likely to be associated with weight gain and diabetes than those with natural sugars. Natural sugars tend to be associated with fiber, which delays and limits their absorption. Thus, portion for portion, more sugar is consumed in foods high in refined sugar. The question of whether a specific diet composition can prevent diabetes, independent of its actual energy content, is not entirely known. Studies have shown that diets high in grain and fiber tend to be associated with a lower frequency of diabetes in the population. This may be related to the more gradual breakdown and absorption of the components of the meal, especially the carbohydrates, as discussed previously.

Since, in all parts of the world, the explosive rise in diabetes is clearly linked to weight gain rather than to a specific type of diet, the dietary focus should remain on eating a healthy diet that provides the recommended amounts of important nutrients, in quantities necessary to maintain a healthy weight and prevent undesirable weight gain.

Diabetes CAN be reversed… Discover how you can reverse your diabetes naturally without using any harmful drugs or medications. Click here for more information.

Low Cholesterol Foods With Natural Nutrients - Healthy Life Portal

2011-07-10T03:23:00Z

Low Cholesterol Foods With Natural Nutrients

Many people are battling with high cholesterol problems, for others the problem is much worse if they have suffered a heart attack or a stroke. The reasons why most people have this problem, it is because they do not eat healthy foods and quite obviously they have bad eating habits and hardly exercise. It is essential to have a healthy lifestyle for the obvious reason that you increase your chances of living longer.

The cholesterol types in our bodies are the indicators of whether we have a cholesterol problem or not. Having gone through a cholesterol screening process, it is important that you ask your doctor to explain the total cholesterol figures to you, detailing your levels of low density lipoproteins, your bad cholesterol and high density lipoproteins, your good cholesterol. With this diagnosis the doctor will recommend a solution that best suits you, that will help you combat the problem, if one does exist. There is a natural way to lower high cholesterol levels and this is by keeping to a healthier diet on a daily basis that contains foods that are low in cholesterol.

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Foods like fresh fruits and vegetables have no cholesterol instead they have vitamins and a lot of good fiber that will improve your health. Garlic is known to be very effective and this can be used while cooking meals. Nuts also lower high cholesterol although they should not be consumed in large quantities because they have a lot of calories which of course do not help in improving your health. Omega-3 fattty acids found in tuna, sardines, salmon and other foods, helps lower your triglyceride levels improving your healthy and especially your heart. Oatmeal is also a good addition to your diet because it increases your high density lipoprotein levels (HDL), your good cholesterol whose main function is to reduce the levels of your low density lipoproteins which is your bad cholesterol.

Other supplements that can lower your LDL levels significantly are Policosanol, D-Limonene, Theaflavin and Rice Bran oil. Combining these supplements with a healthy diet and regular exercise, the only cause of a premature death will have nothing to do with your health.

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Natural Ways To Lower Your Cholesterol Level - Healthy Life Portal

2011-07-09T16:09:12Z

Natural Ways To Lower Your Cholesterol Level

Cholesterol screening is important because you will be awared if you have a high cholesterol problem. Before you decide to take the medication recommeded by your doctor, it is good to find out about other cholesterol treatment alternatives available that do not require ingestion of harmful drugs. The good news is there are several ways to lower your cholesterol level naturally.

Exercising regularly will increase your good cholesterol (HDL) levels. Doing simple exercises like jogging, taking a walk or a short run is sufficient to get you in good shape and health. You don not necessarily need to exercise on a daily basis however try to exercise as many times as you can in a week and for an hour or half hour. Reports also show that Yoga helps reduce high cholesterol, and it accomplishes this by reducing the hormones that are released when you are stressed out and simultaneously will cause your cholesterol to reduce.

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Formulate a diet that is healthy and well balanced is important to control your cholesterol level. Many people enjoy foods that are deep fried because they taste a lot better than foods that are either steamed or boiled, but if you have high cholesterol problems, it is advisable to you eliminate foods with saturated fats from you daily diet completely and start to eat foods free of cholesterol like vegetables and fresh fruits as well as foods that will help you reduce your bad cholesterol like nuts and fish. It is also said that Benecol that comes from stanols found in pine trees contains active ingredients that reduce cholesterol levels if consumed on a daily basis.

Natural supplements combined with a healthy diet greatly lower cholesterol levels. They are not drugs but substances found in certain foods or plant membranes. For example, OC MAX uses an enzyme called Serratia E15 silkworm that helps lower cholesterol levels. It effectively lowers your bad cholesterol levels (LDL). It is essential to consult a doctor first before using any natural supplements.
A combination of a low cholesterol diet, natural supplements and regular exercise, will do your body a great good. You will not only reduce the cholesterol levels in your body but your body will be able to fight off other ailments that can be contributed to a poor health lifestyle.

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How To Burn Your Belly Fat At A Fast Rate - Healthy Life Portal

2011-07-09T07:04:26Z

How To Burn Your Belly Fat At A Fast Rate

A flat belly has now become the symbol of sexiness. So many people are looking for a quick solution for their belly fat issues due to unhealthy and sedentary lifestyles. Belly fat is a big problem and may cause many diseases at times including diabetes, heart diseases and high cholesterol level. Here we're outlining some simple tips on how to lose belly fat:

Cut down your daily calorie intake to between 250-500 calories.
Increase your water consumption to about 10 8oz glasses a day.
Exercise regularly.

It is essential to eat healthier foods daily for losing your belly fat. You have to replace your snacks with fresh vegatables and avoid the processed foods with high salt and trans fat content from your diet. The daily protein intake should be 2/3 of your diet. You should change your fresh fruit and vegetables around with some added flavor to keep your meals interesting and tasty.

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The most difficult part in losing weight is exercising. Some people may even found difificult to get up the motivation to begin exercising. Beginner should start off light exercise like walking and as you become comfortable you can increase your workout routine to one that is more vigorous. Cardio exercises is also suitable exercise for losing your belly fat, as it accelerate heart rate making us breathe faster thus body spending more energy. However, there is a so called "High-intensity interval training (HIIT)" that is intended to improve performance with short training sessions, so will be able to avoid spending hours upon hours a week for exercise.

The HIIT method has the individual doing a vigorous workout for a short period of time, then resting and again going back to the workout. According to recent research results, this method has been shown to burn fat more effectively compared to traditional endurance training methods. The purpose of the training is to boost your metabolic rate to burn off your belly fat. This method will also burn your calories and fat over a period of time throughout the day, unlike most other exercises that only burn the calories during the workout. With a combination of a healthy diet and a vigorous exercise routine you will be able to lose your belly fat at a fast rate.

Medications That Increase The Risk Of Getting Diabetes - Healthy Life Portal

2011-07-08T14:38:02Z

Medications That Increase The Risk Of Getting Diabetes

Besides overweight, hereditary risk, and lack of exercise, another factor that can increase the risk of developing diabetes is the use of certain medications. Among these medications, the type associated most strongly with increased risk are the steroids (also called glucocorticoids), whose members include prednisone, methylprednisolone, hydrocortisone, and dexamethasone. The steroids belong to a class of naturally occurring stress hormones known as counterregulatory hormones, which prepare the body to combat stress. They tend to raise blood sugar. Other stress hormones include the so-called catecholamines such as epinephrine (adrenaline) and norepinephrine (noradrenaline), which also raise the blood sugar. Synthetic versions of these compounds, which include some drugs used in weight loss medications, cold and allergy medications, asthma medications, and stimulants, can also cause a rise in blood sugar.

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Certain types of diuretic pills (“water pills”) such as thiazides can also occasionally raise blood sugar, although these pills are commonly and appropriately used in people with diabetes. A certain type of cholesterol-modifying drug known as niacin can raise the blood sugar, sometimes quite markedly. The longacting (“extended release”) version of niacin is less likely to do this. Certain types of medications used to treat psychiatric conditions (the atypical antipsychotics) can lead to a higher frequency of diabetes, although this appears to be largely due to their tendency to cause weight gain. Certain classes of antiviral drugs, especially those used for the treatment of HIV/AIDS, can lead to diabetes.

In the case of all these drugs, the prescribing physician needs to consider the potential benefit of the drug in question to the patient and weigh this against the known risks, including the risk of developing diabetes. In many cases, the potential benefit of using these drugs, which may be life-saving, is believed to outweigh the risks and the blood sugar should be monitored and treated appropriately if diabetes occurs. Once the drug in question is discontinued, the diabetes usually goes away and treatment can be discontinued.

Diabetes CAN be reversed… Discover how you can reverse your diabetes naturally without using any harmful drugs or medications. Click here for more information.

Measure Your Own Blood Pressure - Healthy Life Portal

2011-07-08T10:14:51Z

Measure Your Own Blood Pressure

Measuring your own blood pressure has become convenient. You can do it on a coin-operated machine in some stores or purchase a device like the one your doctor uses or one of the new electronic, battery-operated devices. The device for measuring blood pressure is called a sphygmomanometer.

Measuring blood pressure is simple. You wrap a band (the cuff ) around your arm and stop all blood flow. Then, just below the band, you listen with a stethoscope to an artery and slowly release the band. As the blood starts flowing, the left ventricle or the systolic pressure comes through (the high number). As the lower pressure comes through, the beats stop, and the second sound is steady; that’s the background pressure or the diastolic pressure (the low number). The cuff is hooked to a pressure-sensing device, which is activated by pumping up the cuff. In the doctor’s office, mercury is used to measure pressure, but many newer electronic devices are calibrated against a standard column of mercury and are almost as accurate. The electronic sphygmomanometer has a sound-sensing device more sensitive and objective than the human ear, so there’s no need for a stethoscope.

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You are recommended to purchase one of the newer battery-operated, electronic sphygmomanometers that give your systolic and diastolic blood pressures and pulse rate in one reading. They are sold in most drugstores, some discount and health stores, through mail order catalogs, and over the Internet. The sphygmomanometer you purchase will have directions on its use. There are a few commonalities that apply to all of them.

Wrap the cuff snugly but not tightly.
Pump the pressure in the cuff sufficiently to stop blood flow; about 200 to 225 millimeters is enough. When you’re back in shape, 150 will be plenty.
Let the air drain from the cuff slowly and steadily. Many devices do this automatically.
Do not take only one measurement; use several measurements.
Always measure with your elbow resting on a table at about the level of your heart, or midchest.

The battery-operated devices don’t always give consistent measurements when used repeatedly in succession due to current surges and charge buildup. Inaccurate readings can also result from low batteries. If you opt for this type, be sure the batteries are good and always allow a few minutes between measurements.

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Good Cholesterol Foods - Healthy Life Portal

2011-07-08T01:44:58Z

Good Cholesterol Foods

Most people thinking that cholesterol is always bad and thus should minimize its intake in our daily diet. This is only true for the food with triglycerides and LDL, which are the “bad” cholesterols. The “good” cholesterol is called HDL and it is actually good for us. The good cholesterol should not get too low since these particles help sweep away excess fat in the blood. This helps prevent the fat from oxidizing and building up on the walls of your blood vessels.

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Basically, food that does not contain saturated fat, trans fat and cholesterol can be considered good cholesterol food products. This including the vegetables, fruits, cereals and whole grains. These good cholesterol foods can be consumed safely. Food items that contain bad cholesterol are like eggs, poultry, milk and cheese.

However, our diet cannot only consist of good cholesterol foods, we thus require a diet pattern that will combat and lower our bad cholesterol. For a healthy diet, we need to determine how much good and bad cholesterol food to consumed to maintain a healthy cholesterol level. We can always consult a doctor or a dietician if we are not sure what good cholesterol food to have and what types of foods to avoid. We can discuss with them our health history and present state of physical state to draw out a diet plan that is right for us.

The more we take care of our health and body, the less risk we will put ourselves to. Always remember to watch our cholesterol level to avoid diseases like heart problems. Remember that we must take good cholesterol food to help increase our good cholesterol level. With healthy diet consisting of lots of good cholesterol food and regular exercise, we can make sure that we will be stronger and healthier.

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Foods To Avoid For Cholesterol-Lowering Diet - Healthy Life Portal

2011-07-07T14:08:12Z

Foods To Avoid For Cholesterol-Lowering Diet

The foods listed in this article are either high in saturated fat or cholesterol, but that does not mean they are gone from your table forever. The most important is to control the amount, take only a small portion in your diet.

Butter
Butter isthe natural fat in milk and it is a concentrated form of energy. If you are a labor, you could make good use of that energy. But most of us do not need that "extra" energy.Butter is very high in saturated fat, one tablespoon of butter has a whopping 11 grams of fat, 7.1 grams or 64.5% of which are saturated fats. Besides, one tablespoon of butter has 31 milligrams of cholesterol, which is 10% of recommended daily cholesterol intake (300 miligrams).

Coconut
Coconut meat is high in dietary fiber, and is a good source of B vitamins. A single 2-inch-square piece of fresh coconut meat has 1.09 mg of iron, 0.49 mg of zinc, and no cholesterol. But that same 2-inch-square piece of coconut contains 15 g of coconut oil, the fat that accounts for 85% of the calories in coconut meat, and 89% of coconut oil is saturated fatty acids.

Eggs
A yolk from one large egg contains 213 to 220 mg of cholesterol and thus the American Heart Association has established its allowances on egg consumption to one-a-day. Moreover, all the fat, including cholesterol and artery clogging saturated fats, is in the yolk. On the other hand, the high protein white does give you some minerals and some B vitamins. Therefore the eggs-act solution is to eat the white part of the egg and toss the yellow.

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Lamb
Lamb is the red meat with the highest proportion of saturated fat per ounce. As a comparison, a 4-ounce serving of lean beef has 6 grams of fat, 2.3 of them saturated; whereas a 4-ounce serving of lamb has 23 grams of fat, 9.9 of them saturated.

Liver
Liver is rich in high-quality proteins, the natural source of retinol, vitamin D, B vitamins, and heme iron. However, liver has much more cholesterol than even well-marbled red meat. A 3-ounce serving of braised beef liver has 330 miligrams of cholesterol, 30 mg more than you’re supposed to have in an entire day.

Unfiltered coffee
The researchers at the Agricultural University in Wageningen has identified the chemicals in coffee that may raise cholesterol levels. The chemicals are diterpenes, substances found in the oils of the coffee bean that give coffee its wonderful flavor and aroma. The amount of diterpenes in your coffee cup varies with the brewing method. Drip-brewed coffee, instant coffee, and percolated coffee contain only minimal amounts of diterpenes. But boiled coffees — Greek coffee, Turkish coffee, espresso, and the coffee brewed in French “press” coffee makers — may have 6 to 12 miligrams of diterpenes per 5-ounce cup. This amount is significant, and the Dutch researchers estimate that continually drinking five cups of press-brewed coffee or 15 espressos a day may raise cholesterol levels 8 to 10 points.

Whole-milk products
Ice cream, cheese, yogurt, cream, sour cream, and whipped cream - all (unless labeled with "low fat") contains whole milk with 3.5% butterfat. An 8-ounce glass of whole milk has 8 grams of fat, with 5.1 grams of saturated fat. The best part is that whole milk contains about 300 mg of calcium, 8 g of protein, and 300 mg of vitamin D.

Discover how you can lower your cholesterol level, WITHOUT using harmful drugs and NO side-effects. It’s proven, effective and safe. Click here for more information.

Tips To Lower Cholesterol Levels - Healthy Life Portal

2011-07-07T14:07:58Z

Tips To Lower Cholesterol Levels

The liver produces most of the cholesterol in our bodies and therefore it is important that we keep to healthy diet of vegetables, fresh fruits and regular exercise on a daily basis. There are two types of cholesterol levels in our bodies, low density lipoproteins (LDL), this are bad cholesterol levels and the high density lipoproteins (HDL) which are the good cholesterol levels. The LDL levels are very harmful to your body for they are the cause of heart attacks and this is due to the fact that they cause blockage to your arteries. The HDL levels main function is to actually reduce the production and absorption of your bad cholesterol.

Individuals battling with high cholesterol can use various cholesterol treatment alternatives, for example statin which is quite popular and usually everyone’s first choice. Although very effective at lowering your LDL levels it does however have severe side effects. It is best to lower the cholesterol naturally by eating foods that are low in cholesterol and using natural cholesterol supplements such as Policosanol found in sugar cane, Theaflavins found in both green black tea and Phytosterols found in plant membranes. Combining a healthy diet with natural supplements will help you combat high cholesterol the safe and most natural way. You do not have to worry about dealing with other ailments that are brought about by cholesterol medication.

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Low diet cholesterol menus or recipes are a good start to a healthier lifestyle. Keep to a diet that is enjoyable to eat and at the same time beneficial to your health. Foods to exclude in your daily diet include; red meat which you can substitute for fish or chicken, foods rich in saturated fats should be eliminated completely from your diet or should be consumed in very low quantities and not as often. Healthy food may not be very tasty as fatty foods but they offer the most benefit to your body.

Increase the amount of soluble fiber in your body by eating foods like whole grains, they help with digestion and lower you bad cholesterol by removing the dietary fats. While making meals avoid deep frying your foods to prevent the loss of nutrients and substitute animal oil to vegetable oil when cooking. Avoid eating snacks like potato chips and candy bars instead do some exercise by taking a short walk or jogging for a short distance. If you eat out, go to a restaurant where they serve foods that are low in cholesterol and when shopping for foods always check the labels for cholesterol levels. For an individual who has high cholesterol problems and drinks alcohol or smokes, these habits should be stopped entirely for they accelerate you chances of getting a stroke or heart attack. It is quite simple and easy to maintain your health if you take good care of yourself.

Discover how you can lower your cholesterol level, WITHOUT using harmful drugs and NO side-effects. It’s proven, effective and safe. Click here for more information.

The 7 Most Common Mistakes About Diabetes - Healthy Life Portal

2011-07-07T14:07:36Z

The 7 Most Common Mistakes About Diabetes

Based on the research, most diabetics make the same mistakes! The following is a list of the seven most common mistakes, primarily due to misinformation and the lack of knowledge.

Weight loss focus
Some diabetics focus on trying to lose weight instead of focusing on getting healthy. Focusing on losing weight may work in the short term but because this may drive bad eating habits, it is a temporary fix that eventually leads to more weight gain. Counter-measure: Focus on getting healthy by eating properly to control your blood glucose level and improve the health of your cells. Once you improve the health of your cells and get your blood glucose level under control, the weight loss will occur naturally and permanently, as the body is able to burn fat as fuel.

Breakfast/Other Meals
Many diabetics either don’t eat breakfast or they eat a grain-based breakfast, e.g. cereal, grits, toast, bagel. Most diabetics eat a refined carbohydrate-loaded, fiber-deficient dinner. Counter-measure: Eat a green, leafy vegetable-based breakfast, e.g. 1-2 cups of steamed spinach (or broccoli) topped with 1 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil, 2 ounces of baked wild salmon, 1 slice sprouted grain bread, and 16 ounces of filtered water. Optional: For additional sustenance, include a glass of raw vegetable juice, mixed with a tbsp. of freshly ground flaxseed. If you have multiple illnesses, stay away from most processed grains, especially wheat during the initial stages of recovery. Also, eat a similar meal for dinner with an extra vegetable or legume (1-2 cups), additional monounsaturated/Omega-3 fats (1 tbsp.), and additional lean protein (3-4 ounces).

Blood glucose testing
Most diabetics test too infrequently, they don’t record the test results, and/or they don’t take the proper corrective actions based on the test results. Counter-measure: Increase your blood glucose testing and record the readings to evaluate so that you can make corrective actions to what you’re eating and how you’re exercising. Of course, if you do not make any corrective actions based on the readings, then, you are wasting your time with the extra testing.

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Denial & stubbornness
Some diabetics live in denial and do not believe that they will end up with kidney failure, amputation, blindness, heart attack or stroke -- despite the overwhelming statistics that show that more than 4 out of every 5 diabetics develop one or more of these health complications. Other diabetics are too stubborn to change their eating habits or lifestyle because they love to eat. Counter-measure: Talk to a family member or a friend, or join a support group. Discuss your concerns with your doctor or other healthcare professional. Educate yourself about the disease.

Lack of exercise
Most diabetics either do not exercise or they exercise improperly. Counter-measure: Implement a consistent aerobic/weight-resistance exercise program that you will enjoy and fit into your daily schedule and lifestyle. But, you must provide your body with the proper fuel (by eating right) in order to generate the energy to exercise.

Food & Lifestyle Addictions
Food addiction: Many diabetics are addicted to the chemicals in their favorite foods. This makes it difficult to stop eating these foods even though the diabetic knows these foods are harmful to their health and contain very little, if any, nutritional value. Counter-measure: Begin eating more of the nutrient-rich foods, such as green, leafy vegetables, to change your body chemistry and reduce the chemical addiction. The changing of your body’s chemistry is a critical step towards breaking your food addiction. Start with a nutritious breakfast, and eventually add a nutritious dinner to help change that chemistry. These nutritious meals will help the body reduce the acidity, toxins, and inflammation within the sick cells – allowing the cells the opportunity to gradually repair themselves. Lifestyle addiction: Most diabetics enjoy and are used to their current lifestyle and do not want to lose their freedom. Ironically their “lifestyle” is in reality their “deathstyle”. Counter-measure: Make small changes. If you educate yourself about this disease you will discover that you will eventually lose that precious freedom if you allow the disease to take hold in your body. We all love our freedom, but you don’t have to sacrifice your life for freedom.

Reliance on drugs
Most diabetics rely on the drugs to control their blood glucose instead of making the nutrition and lifestyle changes to help the body heal itself. Counter-measure: Begin eating the nutritious foods to reduce the need for the drugs, which beget more drugs and toxic side effects that further deteriorate the body’s health. Once you start taking drugs to compensate for poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle, you start down a very slippery slope that gradually leads to more drugs and poorer health.

Diabetes CAN be reversed… Discover how you can reverse your diabetes naturally without using any harmful drugs or medications. Click here for more information.

Can a person have both type 1 and type 2 diabetes at the same time? - Healthy Life Portal

2011-07-07T14:07:23Z

Can a person have both type 1 and type 2diabetes at the same time?

Generally speaking, we do not diagnose both disorders in the same individual. If people have type 1 diabetes, they are completely lacking effective circulating insulin. By definition, this is not the case in people with type 2 diabetes, so having the one disorder effectively rules out the other. However, people with type 1 diabetes may be prone to the same metabolic problems as those with type 2 diabetes. In other words, if people with type 1 diabetes gain weight, become sedentary, or are members of an ethnic group at high risk for type 2 diabetes, they may become insulin resistant and their diabetes will be more difficult to control. Higher doses of insulin will be required and they may develop the metabolic problems that tend to be associated with type 2 diabetes, such as cholesterol and related blood fat abnormalities, as well as high blood pressure. These will add to their risk of cardiovascular disease. Some people with apparent type 2 diabetes appear to have a partial form of type 1 diabetes, which has stopped short of complete destruction of their insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. This is known as LADA or latent autoimmune diabetes of the adult. They tend to require insulin treatment earlier in the course of their diabetes, but are not considered to have both diseases.

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The difference between diabetes mellitus and diabetes insipidus - Healthy Life Portal

2011-07-07T14:07:13Z

The difference between diabetes mellitus and diabetes insipidus

The word diabetes is an interesting one. Its origin is in the Greek language where it is derived from the word for a siphon or, more simply, a pipe or hose. This word was used to describe the disorder in ancient times (and diabetes was recognized in great antiquity) because those suffering from it produced such plentiful amounts of urine that they were reminiscent of a water pipe. The reason for the plentiful amounts of urine lies in the fact that when the sugar glucose reaches excessively high levels in our bloodstream, it is filtered into the kidney and enters the urine in large quantities. Due to its chemical and physical properties, when large amounts of glucose are filtered by our kidneys into the urine, it cannot be fully reabsorbed and retains a large amount of water with it, thus creating very large volumes of urine.

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The second part of the name, mellitus, is derived from the word meaning sweet, as in mellifluous music. Mellitus was added when it was discovered that the urine in a person with diabetes and very high blood sugar is sweet. Diabetes insipidus is a disorder with an entirely different basis, but its sufferers share the siphon-like quality of very frequent and very high volume urination.Diabetes insipidus is due to failure of production or action of another vital hormone, known as arginine vasopressin (AVP), also called antidiuretic hormone (ADH), that is responsible for maintaining the normal volume and concentration of our urine. When AVP is deficient (usually due to damage or disease of the hypothalamus or pituitary gland) or fails to work (usually due to disease of or damage to the kidney), we are unable to concentrate our urine and it becomes excessively dilute. As such, it appears pale, almost colorless and watery—in a word insipid, hence insipidus. It is not sweet, as it has negligible amounts of sugar in it.

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Why and how did I get diabetes? - Healthy Life Portal

2011-07-07T14:07:03Z

Why and how did I get diabetes?

Diabetes occurs for a number of reasons, but the ultimate cause of the high blood sugar that characterizes the disorder is either deficiency of the hormone insulin or a combination of insulin deficiency and resistance of the body tissues to its actions. In response to food intake, insulin is released by specialized cells in the pancreas and is necessary for adequate amounts of glucose and other nutrients from food to be absorbed into certain tissues of the body.When insulin is lacking or the body resists its actions, the level of glucose in the blood becomes excessively high and diabetes is diagnosed.

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The difference in the balance between the two characterizes the two major forms of diabetes—type 1 and type 2. Whatever the form of diabetes, its basis is to some extent hereditary and to some extent environmental. The hereditary contribution is more or less constant throughout recent human evolution. It is the environmental component that has changed markedly over the last 100 years, leading to the dramatic rise in the frequency of diabetes in almost all societies. You developed diabetes because either you are strongly predisposed due to hereditary reasons or because there are factors in your lifestyle and environment (such as gaining weight, getting insufficient exercise, taking certain medications) that increase the likelihood of diabetes or, as is usually the case, a combination of both. This is not all bad, because the environment and lifestyle can often be changed, with dramatic improvement in the severity of the diabetes.

Diabetes CAN be reversed… Discover how you can reverse your diabetes naturally without using any harmful drugs or medications. Click here for more information.

Diabetes Overview - Healthy Life Portal

2011-07-07T14:06:53Z

Diabetes Overview

This is a well done video presenting the information about diabetes. The diabetics will get additional information in a different medium. This will enhance their know-how and skill in managing their condition.

Diabetes CAN be reversed… Discover how you can reverse your diabetes naturally without using any harmful drugs or medications. Click here for more information.

Marginal Cases (Pre-diabetes) & Risk Factors - Healthy Life Portal

2011-07-07T14:06:42Z

Marginal Cases (Pre-diabetes) & Risk Factors

For marginal situations where the fasting blood glucose is above 100 mg/dl in combination with two of the following risk factors, a patient may have impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), an indication that he/she is becoming insulin resistant or pre-diabetic. The risk factors for Type 2 diabetes include the following:

Abdominal fat: a waistline greater than 40 inches (for a man), or 35 inches for a woman
Overweight/obesity: Body Mass Index (BMI) greater than 25 • Poor nutrition: too much processed white rice, potatoes, bread, pasta, and other refined flour products; too many cookies, cakes, pies, bottled juices, soda, ice cream, and other sweets; and, not enough fiber, water, plant oils, and nutrients from vegetables and fruits
Tobacco/alcohol consumption
Sedentary lifestyle: very little physical activity or exercise
Age: 45 years or older
High blood pressure (130/80 or higher)
High triglycerides (over 150), Low HDL cholesterol (under 40 for men, 50 for women)
High C-reactive protein, high homocysteine and/or small, dense LDL particles, indicators of high levels of internal inflammation
Non-Caucasian ethnicity: Hispanic American, African American, Native American, Asian American (driven by societal “isms” such as racism, elitism, capitalism and imperialism)
A family history of Type 2 diabetes or cardiovascular disease
Acanthosis nigricans: patches of thick, brownish, velvety skin on the neck, underarms, or groin; also, just below the breasts in women
Poor mental health, e.g. depression
A history of gestational diabetes during pregnancy

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If your doctor believes that you have impaired glucose tolerance, he/she may suggest a change in eating habits and exercise to lose several pounds and reduce the insulin resistance, preventing the onset of diabetes. This is a major opportunity to prevent Type 2 diabetes, but, unfortunately, most of us do not listen to our doctor because we do not want to make changes to our lifestyle.

Then, when we get the bad news, we are either in denial, surprised or angry that we have been diagnosed as a diabetic. As our health gets worse, we expect our doctor to perform a miracle and fix us with some “magic pill”. This is not fair to our doctor, who’s earlier warning was ignored; and it’s not fair to our family, who depends on us. If your doctor has warned you about your weight, blood glucose level, blood pressure, or one of the aforementioned risk factors, then, you should take heed because he/she is trying to save your life. If you have not been to your doctor in a while, you should set up an appointment as soon as possible. It is a lot easier to prevent diabetes than it is to control and reverse it.

If you exhibit more than three of the aforementioned risk factors, you may have what is being called Metabolic Syndrome X, a condition driven by years of high insulin levels and inflammation in the body. And, the more of these risk factors you have, the greater the chance that you will develop insulin resistance and become pre-diabetic; and, eventually diabetic. Excessively high insulin levels over a period of years will develop into hyperinsulinemia and the accumulation of excess fat particularly in the abdomen area – all due to insulin resistance. The excess fat releases chemicals called cytokines that block the insulin receptors which triggers the pancreas to release two to three times more insulin. This can inhibit the breakdown of homocysteine, which can eventually lead to internal inflammation and damage to various body parts such as the arteries and kidneys.

If you have more than three of these risk factors, talk to other family members to understand your family history. Because of the embarrassment of the disease and because some cultures/families just didn’t talk about this or other diseases, there may be an (unspoken) family history that is usually passed down via poor eating habits, negative attitudes and negative behaviors – some of which may be compounded by your environment and societal biases. As a result, a silent disease like diabetes is allowed to progress from one generation to the next because of this unnecessary embarrassment and unspoken word.

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Daily calorie and nutrient intakes - Healthy Life Portal

2011-07-07T14:06:16Z

Daily calorie and nutrient intakes

Calories (Consume enough to stay at a healthy weight)
A calorie is a unit of energy, not a nutrient. The amount that’s best for you depends largely on your height and weight. You’ll also need to consider whether or not you have to lose pounds. Other factors that affect your calorie needs include how physically active you are and your age. Physical activity helps burn calories, while middle-aged and older adults tend to need fewer calories than younger persons.

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Typical daily intakes are:

1,600 calories—For young children (ages 2-6), women, and some older adults
2,200 calories—For older children, teenage girls, active women, and most men
2,800 calories—For teenage boys and active men

Total fat
No more than 30 percent of daily calories

Saturated fat
Less than 10 percent of daily calories

Cholesterol
Less than 300 milligrams per day

Fiber
25–30 grams per day

Protein
10–35 percent of daily calories

Carbohydrates
45–65 percent of daily calories

Sodium
No more than 2,400 milligrams per day

To calculate percent of daily calories, it’s important to know that protein and carbohydrate have 4 calories per gram, while fat has 9 calories per gram. So, for example, if you eat 2,000 calories a day, your daily total intakes should be: no more than 67 grams of total fat, 22 grams or less of saturated fat, and 225–325 grams of carbohydrates. For the other nutrients, have no more than the maximums listed above. The Box on page 20 gives some daily totals for saturated fat and total fat.

However, try to remember that the goal is to build a nutritious pattern from nutritious meals. Not every dish needs to be low in fat or calories. Keep your sights set on an overall healthy pattern.

Tips on choosing fats - Healthy Life Portal

2011-07-07T14:06:03Z

Tips on choosing fats

Look for words such as “shortening,” “partially hydrogenated vegetable oil,” or “hydrogenated vegetable oil” in the ingredients. These words are clues that the food contains trans fat.
Look at the amounts of saturated fat and dietary cholesterol on nutrition labels. Remember, 5 percent of the daily value (%DV) or less is low, and 20 percent or more is high.
Use olive, canola, soybean, corn, and sunflower oils.
Choose soft margarines (liquid, tub, or spray) over solid shortenings, hard margarines, and animal fats, including butter.

Blood Pressure and Children - Healthy Life Portal

2011-07-07T14:04:40Z

Blood Pressure and Children

Cardiovascular disease in general and hypertension in particular begin in childhood. Studies indicate that children with elevated blood pressure levels are more prone to develop hypertension later in life, as early as in young adulthood. Percentages of youngsters with higher than normal blood pressure are increasing over time, perhaps owing to more sedentary behaviors and overweight. One estimate is that 30 percent of all overweight children have elevated blood pressure.Doctors are now seeing children as young as five years old with higher than normal blood pressure.

Normal blood pressure for children is, not surprisingly, lower than that for adults, and it gradually increases over the years. On average, systolic pressure will increase by 0.44 mm Hg annually for children between eight and twelve years old and by 2.90 between the ages of thirteen and seventeen. Diastolic blood pressure also gradually rises, by 0.33 from age eight to twelve and by 1.81 from thirteen to seventeen. Here’s a chart to show typical blood pressure readings for youngsters between the ages of eight and seventeen.

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Especially in families with histories of cardiovascular disease and premature heart attacks and strokes, both blood pressure and cholesterol levels should be checked by the pediatrician or the family physician early in life. For reasons I personally cannot comprehend, there has been some controversy about doing so. It seems logical to me that a parent would want to know whether a son or a daughter has a greater than average potential to develop that disease later in life and to pay particular attention to encouraging a heart-healthy lifestyle in the entire family, complete with a heartsmart diet and plenty of physical activity.What parent would not want to give his or her child a future free of heart disease?

Good habits can be encouraged early in life and developed as easily as bad habits. My son, Ross, was six years old and Jenny was just three when I had my second bypass surgery. I did not want them to grow up to face the suffering I had undergone.A child’s lifestyle is entirely dependent, especially very early in life, upon his or her parents. If fruit slices replace potato chips, kids will eat those healthier foods. If playing actively in the backyard and the park, with the whole family involved and perhaps some neighbor children as well, becomes the norm, less time will be spent in sedentary behaviors.We encourage our children to study hard at school and to do their homework.Why not be as interactive with their health as well?
If the pediatrician or the family physician doesn’t automaticallytest for blood pressure during office visits, ask him or her to do so. Proper cuff size is critical to get accurate readings. One size does not fit all. A diagnosis of hypertension cannot properly be made at just one office visit. Readings must be high on three separate occasions at least one week apart. One estimate I read indicated that only about 10 percent of hypertensive children are diagnosed.This means that 90 percent of such kids are left to continue developing cardiovascular disease.To me that’s unforgivable.

While being overweight plays the largest role in elevated blood pressure in childhood, other factors also enter the picture.Certainly, the physician will check for underlying disorders that can influence blood pressure. Since sleep disorders can affect blood pressure, be certain to mention any sleeping problems your child might be having. Smoking habits also play a role.

Swedish research shows that men born prematurely have a significantly greater risk of developing hypertension. Investigators studied more than three hundred thousand men born between 1973 and 1981 and who were drafted for military service between 1993 and 2001. Blood pressure readings of the young men born prematurely were proportionately elevated in a linear fashion, depending on the prematurity of the birth.Those born after less than twentynine weeks had almost twice the risk of high blood pressure; those born moderately preterm, from thirty-three to thirty-six weeks, had a 24 percent greater risk.The researchers recommend that children born prematurely have their blood pressure tested.While this study involved only young men, and the conclusions cannot be extrapolated to young women, it would appear wise to test all prematurely born children.

Hypertension is most typically silent in adults, with no symptoms, but that’s not always true for children. More than half of children with untreated elevations in blood pressure experience frequent headaches, sleeping difficulties, daytime tiredness, and chest or other pains. For most children with elevated blood pressure, treatment begins and ends with attaining a healthy weight and becoming more physically active. Children with other underlying causes of hypertension should be properly treated. Occasionally, a child’s hypertension will be severe enough for the physician to consider prescribing a drug. Ultimately, that may be unavoidable. But why not attempt to lower blood pressure with one or more of the natural, harmless supplements I discuss in chapter 14? There’s nothing to lose and everything to potentially gain.

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Alcohol and Blood Pressure - Healthy Life Portal

2011-07-07T14:04:25Z

Alcohol and Blood Pressure

A 2006 report issued by the American Heart Association points to clinical trials showing that consuming less alcohol reduces both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. However, the AHA says, evidence supports the fact that moderate alcohol intake is effective in lowering blood pressure. The group concludes that alcohol consumption should be limited to no more than two drinks a day for men and one for women.

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There has been considerable discussion in the world’s medical literature and at medical conferences as to whether physicians should actually advocate initiation of alcohol consumption for patients who currently do not drink. Certainly, there is unequivocal proof of the cardiovascular benefits, but there is also unequivocal proof of the potential downside of drinking, both for the individual and for society as a whole.The horrors of deaths to drunk drivers and their victims come vividly and dramatically to mind, as does the sociological impact of alcoholism on the individual and his or her family.

Doctors conclude, and I strongly agree, that if you currently enjoy light to moderate alcohol consumption, continue to do so. But if you are a nondrinker, do not begin to drink just to protect your heart.

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