by I Dance With Diabetes | Aug 23, 2022 | Prevention
Fasting with Diabetes
Do you fast? I’m Catholic and the idea of fasting brings to mind Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Now it’s not my intention to get religious or into theology in this article, but the two fasting days are always a challenge. All I can think of is, that I want to eat something. So in my search for things to know and learn about prediabetes, one of the points that I have come across is fasting to help with diabetes. All I can think of is I’m hungry.
Fasting plans
As I said before fasting on the two days I’m supposed to fast is a challenge. The rule I have always followed is one meal, and not a fill your plate full of stuff. Actually looking at the normals for Catholic fasting allows for one regular size meal and two lite meals. That really doesn’t sound like much of a fast to me. Anyhow, when I look at my typical eating pattern on a normal day I come close to the fasting I’ve always done on Holy Days.
I skip breakfast, I’m a get out of bed and start working kind of person. On days when I’m home, normally the weekend, half the time I skip lunch. So the only meal I eat is dinner. So how close do I come to the proper fasting plans? Well, here’s a list of fasting plans:
- 16:8 Fasting – One of the most popular diets is the 16:8 diet. It makes the transition simple for anyone who is new to fasting. Your food choices do not have to be restricted during your eating window. A lower-carb diet with healthy food options can increase your results.
- 5:2 Fasting – Eat normally for five days during the week. Then on two of the days eat only a total of between 500 – 600 calories maximum. On the limited days, you can eat several small meals (2 – 3 meals). Fasting days don’t need to be consecutive.
- Eat Stop Eat Fasting Diet – For two days during the week fast for 24 hours, and eat as you would normally eat the other five days. On the non-fasting days be sure to eat nutritious foods. Here’s an interesting twist to fasting, you can eat each day. For example, eat something at 7 a.m. on Friday, an hour later, start your fast at 8:00 am, then 24 hours later have something to eat after the 24 hours fasting. Sort of a signing windrow.
- 4:3 Fasting – Basically you eat every other day, or fast every other day. I think that’s the same thing, isn’t it? On fasting days eat a maximum of 500 calories.
- Warrior diet -On this fasting plan you eat once a day. You’ll define a 20-hour time of fasting and have a 4-hour window that you can eat. Say between 6:00 pm and 10:00 pm. When you’re fasting, you are allowed to have small amounts of raw produce; berries, leafy greens, and drinks with zero calories. Something like green tea. A poached egg would be OK also. When you do eat a meal it should be healthful, organic, and highly nutritious food.
- One Meal a Day – This plan has you fasting for 23 hours and when a one-hour window to eat. It is best to eat well before bedtime and not overdo it when you do eat.
- Spontaneous Meal Skipping – This is pretty simple, eat when you’re hungry. When you do eat, eat a normal meal.
- Bulletproof Intermittent Fasting – Based on the Bulletproof coffee plan. You fast for 18 hours. You define a 6-hour window to eat. When you do eat the plan recommends a variety of quality fats to eat. This is based on keto dieting concepts.
In looking at the above fasting plans, the one that appeals the most to me, though I come close to all of them in one way or another, is the 16:8 Fasting plan. I can follow the same daily routine. I don’t have to worry about what day it is. I don’t like the plans that say to eat just 500 – 600 calories a day. That fasting would be too much like one of the Holy Days. The Spontaneous plan would be a problem since I can be hungry most of the time. It’s probably more in my head, but for now, I’ll say it’s my stomach that wants to be fed most of the time.
The Warrior plan is a second-place choice. It only has a four-hour window to eat and I like the eight-hour window on the 16:8 plan. A little more time to eat. Let’s take a closer look at the 16:8 Fasting plan.
My choice plan for Fasting
With the 16:8 fasting plan, you need to choose an eight-hour window to eat. For me, that window would be 2:00 pm to 10:00 pm. I could grab something at 2:00 pm and have a regular dinner at 6:00 pm, and still have time to get in a later evening snack before the 10:00 pm newscast. Of course, it doesn’t mean, that during the eight-hour window you pig out and eat like it’s your last day to live. You do need to follow a healthy diet. Processed foods are not on the menu. You need to stick with the typical nutrient foods; fruits, veggies, whole grains, healthy fats, and meats for protein.
If you’re fasting, you don’t have to give up all your favorite drinks. Water, tea, and coffee are all still fair game, and they can actually help control your appetite and keep you hydrated. So go ahead and enjoy them without guilt—just be sure to stick to the no-calorie versions.
And in conclusion
Yep, I’m going to try the 16:8 fasting plan. I think the hardest part will be moving lunch to after 2:00 pm. The office has a free lite lunch so I’ll have to grab something before it closes and let it sit on my desk until 2:00 pm. My other challenge will be to stay away from the donuts and pastries that get left in the break room. I always felt it was my job to clean those items up. Obviously, if they are leftover from some meeting everyone, must have had their fill and can’t eat anymore. I’m just being sure that we’re not wasting food correct? Makes sense to me. Fasting with diabetes is my lifestyle.
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Read more: Bulletproof
by I Dance With Diabetes | Aug 23, 2022 | Prevention
Diabetes nutrition
Part of any management program for diabetic patients is changes or adaptations in your lifestyle.
In this article, we will explore how food provides energy. We will also look at how exercise allows you to burn off energy.
There are many things that you need to know if you have diabetes, such as what to eat, how to exercise, and how to manage your stress levels.
Diabetes is a growing epidemic worldwide that affects millions of people every year. It has been estimated that by the year 2040, one-third of the world’s population will suffer from the disease.
Diabetes is a chronic metabolic disorder that affects how your body metabolizes sugar. It is typically caused by an inability to create enough insulin due to a lack of pancreas cells or the cells not responding properly, which leads to sugar levels in the blood becoming too high.
Diabetes has traditionally been classified as one of two types: type 1 diabetes and type 2 diabetes. The body’s immune system destroys its own tissue, in this case, the pancreas is responsible for the production of insulin, in type 1diabetes, which is an autoimmune disease. A lower level of insulin is needed for type 2 diabetes because it is associated with high levels of resistance to the drug.
A combination of genetics, lifestyle, and environmental factors affect the pancreas ability to produce and use insulin to aid in controlling Type 2 diabetes is caused by a combination of genetics, lifestyle, and environment.
Eating healthy, exercising regularly, maintaining a healthy weight, and not smoking are some of the things you can do to help reverse type 2 diabetes. While type 1 diabetes can only be treated.
Diabetes and carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are what give the body its energy. Some people with diabetes have to keep a close eye on their carbohydrate intake to avoid a spike in their blood sugar levels. They provide the glucose that fuels the brain and muscles. The amount of carbohydrates to consume depends on one’s age, gender, size, and activity level.
The American Diabetes Association recommends that people with diabetes should aim to eat 45-60 grams of carbohydrate per meal and 15-30 grams per snack, while other organizations recommend a more restrictive limit of 20-40 grams per meal and 5-10 grams per snack. For someone who consumes 2000 calories per day, this would be about 225-300 grams of carbohydrates per day. But this number is just a general guideline. People with diabetes should work closely with their healthcare providers to determine what is best for them individually.
There are many different types of sugars and starches. The American Diabetes Association suggest that people with diabetes limit their daily intake of sugar to 10% of their total daily calories in order to maintain a healthy blood sugar level.
Carbohydrates are present in many foods that we commonly eat and may also be stored in the form of glycogen in our muscles. The number of carbohydrates needed to maintain healthy blood sugar levels varies from person to person which is why it is important to consult a doctor or nutritionist before making any drastic changes.
People with diabetes have to be more careful about their carbohydrate intake because they are at increased risk of developing high blood sugar levels. They need to know how much carbohydrates they can eat without risking complications such as kidney disease, nerve damage, blindness, or amputation of limbs.
There are many different factors that determine how many carbohydrates a person with diabetes should consume on a daily basis. These factors can include age, weight, height, level of physical activity, and any medical conditions such as kidney disease or type 1 diabetes.
Simple carbohydrates are found in foods like fruit juice, soft drinks, white bread, and pasta. Blood sugar levels go through a rapid spike after you eat simple sugars because they are broken down quickly by the body. If someone is not active enough to burn off their extra calories from these food items, they could be susceptible to mood swings, fatigue, and even weight gain.
Complex carbohydrates include pasta, rice, cereal, brown rice, beans, quinoa or barley, and potatoes with skin on them; these have a lower glycemic index than simple carbs do because they take longer to break down in your body.
Fiber-rich carbs include vegetables like broccoli or spinach which have a low glycemic index because they slow digestion and release glucose slowly
The ADA guidelines for carbohydrates in the diet were developed for people without diabetes. They recommend that adults without diabetes eat 45-60 grams of carbs per meal, and then adjust their carb intake depending on weight and activity level.
A person with diabetes typically needs to control their carbohydrate intake. The amount of carbohydrates that a person with diabetes should eat varies depending on the type of diabetes, age, weight, and activity level.
Diabetes and fats and protein
It is a well-known fact that diabetics should avoid eating high-sugar foods. But what about fats? Healthy fats are essential for the body, but there is a common misconception that they can make diabetes worse.
There are many types of protein sources that can be good for diabetics, including:
– Fish: Fish has low in fat and is high in important Omega-3 and 6 fatty acids. The American Diabetes Association recommends eating fish at least two times a week.
– Eggs: Eggs are a good source of energy and they have good amounts of fats that can help keep you full longer.
– Dairy products: Dairy products, like milk, yogurt, cheese, and ice cream, can be eaten alone or made into other foods like smoothies, oatmeal, or pancakes.
– Beans: Beans are a staple in many diets, and for good reason. They can provide a dose of protein that is low in fat, so they are a smart addition to any healthy diet.
The body needs vitamins and minerals to build and maintain its muscles, organs, and other tissues. Energy is provided by the power of protein when there are not any carbohydrates that are not always available.
Most of the sources of protein in the world come from animal-based foods like meat, poultry, fish, eggs, and dairy products. It is possible to replace animal-based foods with plant-based ones to reduce the risk of chronic diseases.
There are many plant-based sources of protein that can be consumed by people with diabetes. These include soybeans and other beans like lentils or chickpeas; vegetables like broccoli or spinach; nuts like peanuts or almonds; seeds like sesame seeds or pumpkin seeds; whole grains such as rice or oats; and tofu.
Protein is an essential macronutrient for the human body. It helps in maintaining and building muscle mass, bone density, and blood. It also helps regulate blood sugar levels.
People with diabetes should be careful with the amount of protein they take in their diet as it can affect their blood sugar levels negatively.
The truth is that fat is necessary for the body to function properly. It does not matter if it’s healthy fat or not, as long as it’s consumed in moderation. A diet rich in healthy fat can actually result in weight loss, lower cholesterol levels, and improved insulin sensitivity.
A study conducted by Dr. David Jenkins and his team found that adding healthy fats to a meal with carbohydrates reduced the glycemic index of the meal by up to 20%. This means that diabetics who consume healthy fats will experience less of an insulin spike after eating carbs.
However, people with diabetes typically need to consume more calories than the average person in order to maintain a healthy blood sugar level. This means that they often need an increased amount of fat, which can be difficult for them when considering the potential dangers associated with eating too much fat.
There are two types of fats that are good for diabetics. Some foods with monounsaturated fats include olive oil, nuts, and seeds. Polyunsaturated fats are good for your body and can be found in foods such as fish, shellfish, soybeans, sunflower seeds, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds.
The goal of a diabetic diet is to provide the body with the necessary nutrients for managing blood sugar levels, preventing or managing complications, and helping to maintain a healthy weight. It can be difficult for diabetics to know what types of foods are best for them, but it’s important that they take in fat as it’s essential for good health.
Physical activity
Physical activity is an important part of a healthy lifestyle for everyone. For people with diabetes, it’s even more important to be physically active because it can reduce the risk of developing complications from diabetes. It also has the added benefit of helping people with diabetes to maintain blood sugar levels, improve their cholesterol levels, gain flexibility and muscle tone and lose weight.
All people who suffer from diabetes, regardless of their size or weight, need to be aware that being inactive can lead to unhealthy weight gain. The amount and type of food that the person does eat will not matter so much as how often they exercise and for how long. The body needs a certain amount of calories just to function which is called the basal metabolic rate. The average male adult needs to consume between 2,000-2,500 This is especially true for people who take insulin or other medications that cause weight gain. Being physically active helps avoid or control weight gain, which helps prevent or delay the onset of complications from diabetes.
For people with diabetes, being physically active can be advantageous for many reasons. By following the recommended guidelines and making physical activity a part of the patient’s lifestyle, they can help manage their blood sugar, reduce their risk of developing complicated diabetes-related complications, and lose weight.
Diabetes can cause weight gain and that is a common misconception. Exercise is an important part of diabetes management and it can help to prevent weight gain.
The guidelines for physical activity are:
– Over the week, adults should do 150 minutes of modest to intense or 75 minutes of brisk aerobic exercise.
– On two, three, or more days per week, adults should do muscle-strengthening exercises.
– Guidelines for children are different depending on their age.:
o Children between 6 and 17 should do at least 60 minutes of moderate-intensity or 30 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity over the course of the week.
o Children between 3 and 5 years should do at least 60 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity spread out over the day.
Conclusion
If you can follow the above guidelines, you will develop a lifestyle that is healthy. If you are diabetic you will also give yourself a healthy life. Hope you enjoyed this article, Diabetes nutrition. Please join our Facebook group and check out our other blog articles.
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by I Dance With Diabetes | Aug 23, 2022 | Prevention
Diabetes prevention of type 2 diabetes is possible
Are you thirsty? You may be experiencing a symptom of diabetes.
Are you tired? You may be experiencing a symptom of diabetes.
Do you need to go to the bathroom all the time? You may be experiencing a symptom of diabetes.
Are you hungry all the time? You may be experiencing a symptom of diabetes.
Any of the above symptoms have been experienced by everyone at one time or another. By themselves, the symptoms are everyday occurrences. If they are coming together in multiple combinations, you may want to think about getting checked for diabetes.
In addition to the above physical symptoms, you may also want to look at you’re eating habits. How many carbohydrates are you eating a day? Are your meals mostly processed food dinners? Do you eat a lot of sweets? These are fuel for the fire. Your daily habits will bring out the symptoms listed earlier. Diabetes prevention should be something you’re thinking about.
Medical trial
A recent article I read, described how people would be identified, by their blood work results as part of regular health exams. The person would be invited to sit in a 30-minute conversation with a trained support person.
During the conversation, the support person would review the results of their HbA1c test and discuss how the levels could become a health complication and the type of health issues the person could face if they continue to live their current lifestyle.
Much of the conversation would center around diet changes and becoming more active. The goal is to get off the couch and get moving. As the conversation is beginning to wrap up realistic goals for the patient to achieve are set and a follow-up is scheduled in a year to see how the person is doing.
The conversation and learning that takes place are normally enough to get people to be to make changes. A large number of the people were motivated to make changes. Most didn’t realize the dangers of their blood sugars and were very willing to change in light of the benefit they could reach.
Another trial
In another article, being tired was reviewed as a key symptom of type 2 diabetes. Tiredness comes from the body not being able to take in the glucose and use it for energy. Because the body isn’t being fueled correctly everything is running at half speed.
One of the most important roles of insulin is to transport glucose from the bloodstream into cells, where it can be used for energy. When a person has diabetes, their pancreas does not produce enough insulin, or the body does not use insulin effectively. When this occurs, cells are unable to absorb glucose from the bloodstream and cannot function properly.
Glucose will build up in the blood if the cells are not taking in the glucose. Glucose is the energy source.
If a person does not have enough sugar in the cells, their body can exhibit signs of weariness and weakness. Diabetes medications, such as insulin or metformin, help more glucose to enter the cells and prevent it from reaching dangerously high levels in the bloodstream.
Low blood sugar is a possible side effect of diabetes medication. Low blood sugar can also cause people to feel lethargic, especially if it is not detected early enough when the symptoms of low blood sugar start to appear. Some people who are prone to these episodes may be unaware that these levels are dropping and may only notice when the symptoms of a low sugar episode start to show.
Thirst and using the bathroom Being thirsty and needing to use the bathroom frequently are two ends of the result of having diabetes. Frequent thirst and having to urinate more frequently than your baseline is one of the first indications that you might have diabetes. Excessive sugar in your blood (glucose) causes this.
When you have diabetes, there is a high risk of developing high blood sugar levels. When this happens, the body cannot use sugars from food properly and sugar starts to accumulate in the blood. The kidneys are forced to work extra hard to get rid of the excess sugar in a process called glycation.
The kidneys have the responsibility of excreting the excess sugar that is present in your bloodstream. As a result, you may find that you need to urinate more often and that your urine output volume will increase.
This can cause a number of side effects, one of which is that you’ll be losing lots of water. This will make you feel very thirsty due to the fact that you’re pulling water from your tissues and other parts of your body to help get rid of the extra sugar.
Your brain wants you to drink more water. More urination happens because of this. If your blood sugar is not balanced, you will continue to experience the diabetes urine and thirst cycle. Drinking water also helps balance your blood sugar levels, which will reduce cravings for sugar and sweets.
Last thoughts
Occasionally experiencing one of these symptoms is probably just that, you’re; tired, thirsty, hungry, or just needing to use the bathroom. That being said regular physicals will note changes in your conditions. If you’re doing regular checkups you will have a baseline to compare test values and see tends moving in the wrong direction.
If you haven’t gone in for regular checkups and are experiencing several of the symptoms discussed in the article, it is best to check with your medical professional and see where your blood sugar levels are.
If your blood sugar levels are prediabetic or type 2 diabetes you should develop a plan of attack to manage your condition. Be sure you have confidence in your medical professional.
They should be able to help you reverse the effects of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. If all they suggest is taking a medication, then you may want to find another medical professional that will work with you.
Diabetes prevention is the first step in managing your diabetic condition. Depending on how long you have had symptoms and how high your blood sugar levels are, you can reverse them to a safe level. You may have to take medication to help get things under control.
Lifestyle changes can be challenging, but with a little determination, you can manage them and live a healthy and active life.
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Read more: NHS Wales, MedicalNewsToday, Healthline
by I Dance With Diabetes | Aug 23, 2022 | Prevention
Diabetes update
Diabetes is on the increase. The vast majority of people will diabetes are people with type 2 diabetes. Yet even type 1 diabetes is on the increase. In this article, we want to review where progress is on the key forms of diabetes.
First, let’s review what diabetes is. It is an autoimmune disease. This is when the body attacks its own cells. In the case of diabetes type 1, cells in the pancreas. beta cells are mistakenly attacked and destroyed by the immune system. Because the pancreas cannot produce enough or, in some cases, any insulin the patient needs to take to manage their glucose/blood sugar.
In the case of type 2 diabetes, it is not as well understood as it is for type 1 diabetes. Initially, it was assumed that type 2 diabetes was a metabolic disorder, meaning the chemistry of the cell wasn’t working together correctly. In recent years this understanding is being challenged as really an autoimmune disaster. In this approach treatment and preventive care may benefit from a look at the condition.
In type 2 diabetes, the pancreas is able to produce insulin, but for unknown reasons, the insulin doesn’t work with the body’s cells and the glucose isn’t taken in by the cells. The cells aren’t nourished correctly and a myriad of systems are challenged to operate correctly. Because cells aren’t working at the most efficient state, you are being to decline. Heart, kidney, tingling in feet and hands, numbness, your circulation isn’t working as well as it should.
In many cases the decline is so slow you don’t realize it until serious damage occurs. This is why regular checkups are important. To monitor levels within the body and look for signs of increasing glucose or also called blood sugar.
Let’s now look at progress in finding a solution to type 1 diabetes
Scientists at the University of Chicago looked at the role of beta cells in triggering autoimmunity in a new study. Beta cells are islet cells that produce insulin, and when they are destroyed, it causes type 1 diabetes. The researchers found that when beta cells are exposed to a certain enzyme, it can cause the immune system to attack and destroy them.
There is a chance that new drugs will block the immune system from destroying beta cells. This can help prevent type 1 diabetes in at-risk patients. The immune system won’t be able to destroy the beta cells in a way that would help fight diabetes.
The researchers at Yale created an oral drug to treat diabetes. The medication reverses the inflammatory effects of the disease by controlling the levels of the human immunodeficiency virus in the body. This is a major breakthrough in the treatment of diabetes and will help improve the quality of life for millions of people who suffer from this chronic condition.
Here’s the latest on type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is not very well understood from a cure point of view. Medical folks understand what is happening with type 2 diabetes, but how to get the root of the problem isn’t so easy. There are a variety of studies looking for drugs to boost insulin production and improve the tissue’s ability to use insulin to bring glucose into the tissue.
Much of the research around type 2 diabetes is looking at the cause of inflammation. It has long been believed that high glucose levels were the reason for inflammation in type 2 diabetes patients. Instead, studies are pointing out that problems in mitochondria and raised fat derivatives were responsible for prolonged inflammation. This leads to heart, kidney, and other complications.
Other research is pointing at environmental conditions. Type 2 diabetes is increasing worldwide and the rise parallels the increasing pollution levels. It is suspected that the chemicals seep into the body and combine to create chemicals that interfere with the body’s process. Even though type 2 diabetes is increasing quickly around the world, it is something that can be reversed.
Enter Prediabetes
I have a history of glucose or blood sugar test result that border the high end of normal for glucose. My doctor isn’t worried about it. She says that’s where I also come in and until it climbs closer to 120 she’s not going to worry. Being the curious person I am, I have started to look into what diabetes is and what happens as I climb to the 120-level of glucose.
As I started reading about diabetes, to my surprise I entered into the prediabetes realm. As I have read up on diabetes, I have come to learn that prediabetes is something like the dawn. If we say night represents the normal range of glucose levels and 120 represents the sun completely above the horizon, then prediabetes is the time when the first rays of the sun creep over the horizon until the sun is fully above the horizon.
The big difference here is we can reverse the rising process of prediabetes. By addressing and changing our lifestyle we can bring down our glucose levels. We can’t cure why we are moving into prediabetes, what we can do is help the body work efficiently and in an optimal way. Managing the carbs and sugar we eat is a starting point. Once we have prediabetes under control, we can avoid or greatly reduce moving into type 2 diabetes.
Gestational diabetes
Women who don’t already have diabetes can develop gestational diabetes during their pregnancies. Gestational diabetes affects 2% to 10% of pregnancies in the United States. Gestational diabetes can affect your baby’s health, so make sure you manage it.
Your body makes more hormones as you become pregnant, and it will change in some ways, such as weight gain. These changes can result in your body’s cells not being able to use insulin as effectively. Your body needs to get more insulin to function.
Some pregnant women have resistance to insulin used to manage blood sugar even before their weight gains during their pregnancies. Women’s bodies are going through many changes during pregnancy. Some of these changes affect the process of insulin working and can result in gestational diabetes.
Wrap-up
We are slowly, very slowly learning about diabetes and its many ways of manifesting. Much of what we are learning says diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes and prediabetes can be reversed with lifestyle changes and learning. Look for diabetes update in our other blog post.
Read more: ADA, Thebrighterside, YouTube, Knowridge, PubMed, CDC
