Healthcare News – A Hearty Breakfast Can Help Control Blood Sugar

Surprisingly, starting off the day with a large, high-protein and high-fat breakfast actually helped patients with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar levels throughout the day, according to a recent study.

Throughout the 3-months of research, patients were divided into 3 groups according to what they were served: larger fat- and protein-rich breakfasts, carbohydrate-heavy breakfasts and small breakfasts. Those in the first group had better results when their blood sugar was tested.

And the results were not by just a small margin. More than 30% of those who ate the hearty breakfast – compared to 0% who ate the smaller breakfast – had such good blood sugar levels that they were able to reduce their type 2 diabetes medication while they were involved in the study.

Researchers analyzed that those who started out the day with a big breakfast ended up eating less throughout the rest of the day. They concluded that the protein-rich diet helps people feel satisfied longer and helps lower their blood sugar.

Those who ate the big breakfast reported that they were less hungry throughout the day and experienced less urges to eat. Those in the small breakfast category reported the opposite effect, with increases in medication, urges to eat and preoccupation with food.

Although the results showed that while blood sugar and urges decreased, there was no major effect on weight. The study did not find a significant change in weight gain or loss in any of the groups – even those who ate the large or small breakfasts.

The findings were in alignment with current advice given to patients by their doctors – that eating regular meals on a schedule, ones that are high in protein and complex carbohydrates, can help maintain good blood sugar levels which may help them reduce their medications.

If ever there was a reason to start out the day with a substantial breakfast, there is now.

Sources:

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Endocrinology/Obesity/43351?xid=nl_mpt_DHE_2013-12-11

Technology Helps Make Sense of Your Diabetes

If you have diabetes, you know there’s a lot of important information to keep track of – blood glucose levels, diet and medications. On top of that, recording insulin doses and how certain foods and exercise affect your blood glucose level is vital to your health.

The problem is, most times you’re in the middle of something else – like eating or exercising – making it inconvenient to write down everything. Not to mention, all of those little scraps of paper soon turn into a disorganized heap.

The cutting edge technology of smartphone apps can now help you keep tabs on all your stats. Below, we’ve selected 5 of the best smartphone apps to help you take the hassle out of managing your diabetes.

Glooko Logbook

The Glooko Logobook lets you easily download your blood glucose readings from your meter right to your iPod touch or iPhone. You can also record your carb intake, insulin dose and how you’re feeling. This app lets you easily share a complete 14-day summary with your medical care provider by email or fax.

MyNet Diary

MyNet Diary has a special feature to quickly check and compare foods while shopping or in restaurants. There is also an online account to store all your data on your computer for added safety. You can track blood glucose, insulin and medications, as well.

dLife

With dLife, you have access to the most essential tools you need to manage your diabetes. You can watch informative videos and get expert answers to your questions. You can also look up foods and healthy-diabetic recipes to track and manager your glucose levels. 

WaveSense Diabetes Manager

WaveSense Diabetes Manager allows you to track your glucose results, carb intake and insulin doses. Once you enter your information, you can review the data with charts and graphs to get a unique perspective on your condition. Videos teach you about healthy eating, lifestyle choices and testimonials from people living with diabetes.

Glucose Buddy

Glucose Buddy lets you easily store all of your data concerning your diabetes. You can manually enter glucose numbers, carbs you’ve eaten, insulin doses and activities. Using your free online account, you can view all of your data in several different informative views from your iPhone or computer. Added features include print capability and reminder notifications.

With more than one million phone apps on the market, try one of these ­– or explore others – to make keeping track of your stats on paper, a thing of the past. You might even save a few trees.

Low-Glycemic Foods: A Diabetic’s Best Friend

If you’re diabetic, it seems your list of food options grows shorter and shorter every day. Limit carbohydrates. Limit fats. Limit protein. What’s left to eat?

Proper nutrition is vital to stabilizing diabetes. But in this world of fast foods and super-sized sugary sodas, it seems almost impossible to make healthy choices. Let alone enjoy them. The best advice is to eat low-glycemic foods and try avoiding high-glycemic foods. High and low what? Sounds confusing – it’s actually not.

So then what are low- and high-glycemic foods? The word glycemic comes from the word glucose – sugar – and basically means to cause sugar to be in the blood. Simple enough. Low-glycemic foods cause blood sugar to rise slightly and only for a short time. High-glycemic foods not only cause dramatic blood sugar spikes, but the glucose stays in the blood stream much longer. Double whammy.

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not just candy bars and sodas that are high-glycemic foods. Shockingly, wholesome fruits and vegetables can also cause rapid rises of blood sugar.

Here are 5 helpful reminders to keep your blood sugar in check. Now you can still dig in to some of your favorite foods, while lessening the complications of diabetes.

1. Protein-rich Foods – beans, fish or skinless chicken. A serving size should be about 4 ounces. If that’s hard to visualize, imagine a portion the size of your palm or a deck of cards.
2. Whole Grains – brown rice, steel-cut oats or natural granola. A serving of these grains should be around half a cup or approximately the size of a tennis ball.
3. Fruits and Vegetables – non-starchy vegetables like cabbage, cauliflower and radishes and fiber-rich fruit like apples, pears and berries. Make your plate as colorful as possible and enjoy generous portions of these.
4. Healthful Fats – almonds, walnuts and avocados. These unsaturated fats are not only tasty, but also good for your heart.
5. Meals – It’s not only what you eat that can affect your blood sugar level. It’s also how often and the size of your meals. Make sure you start out with breakfast and enjoy 2 meals and 2 snacks per day. Eat slowly and stop when you feel full.

Being mindful of the natural-occurring and added sugars in your food not only keeps your blood sugar at its proper level, it also decreases the impact diabetes has on your wellness.

Expand Your Fitness with Yoga

If you think yoga is just for the ultra flexible who can wind themselves into various poses, you might be pleasantly surprised. It really can be for everyone.

Having been practiced for more than 5,000 years around the world, currently more than 20 million Americans hit the yoga mat on a regular basis. Although it can look intimidating to watch others balance on their hands or strike graceful poses, it’s all about how much you can master – no matter what your age or fitness status.

Yoga focuses on developing a healthy lifestyle through internal awareness. Yoga’s deep breathing and meditation allow you to escape from the turmoil of your daily life and find a serene place within. It also helps you improve your strength, flexibility and balance.

With more than 20 types of yoga, there’s one ideal for you, no matter what your activity level. If you’re new to yoga, you might want to start out with Hatha yoga to learn the basic postures. Power yoga emphasizes using your own body’s resistance to increase strength. Bikram – also known as hot yoga – allows you to sweat out more toxins, as the room temperature is set to a balmy 100 degrees.

No matter which style you choose, the various postures – from warrior to downward facing dog – strengthen the body from inside out. Concentrating on the center of the body – referred to as your core – each pose reinforces muscles around the spine to improve posture.

Practicing yoga not only builds inner and outer strength, it can also improve your appearance. Holding each pose causes the muscles to lengthen, giving you a longer, leaner look. It can also help you lose weight.

Besides improving your outward beauty, it’s good for what’s inside, as well. Some of the immediate effects of yoga include improved brain power, lower stress levels and increased flexibility.

After practicing yoga for a few months, it can positively affect your blood pressure, improve your lung capacity, relieve chronic pain and help lower blood sugar levels. Building stronger bones and lowering your risk of heart disease are benefits you might expect after a few years.

So, if you’re tired of your regular workout routine and looking to build body strength, relieve stress and improve your general health, yoga might just be what you’ve been stretching for. Namaste.