Diabetes and Winters- Are they connected

Tips for managing your diabetes even when the temperature drops.

1.       Keep your diabetes devices and insulin out of the cold- Just like extreme heat, extreme cold can affect your insulin. We recommend that you avoid exposing your insulin pump and continuous glucose monitor to weather below 34 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure your blood glucose (BG) meter is protected in a case, and bundled up too!

2.       Protect your immune system- Winter is flu season, and when you’re sick, you’re probably stressed, both of which can raise BG levels. Wash your hands often with soap and water, or keep hand sanitizer nearby, so you don’t spread germs

3.       Test, don’t guess- Dramatic temperature changes may affect your BG levels. As the seasons change, pay close attention to your CGM  trend, because you’ll likely be experiencing different activities or schedules than other times during the year.

4.       Keep your hands warm-Cold weather can leave you with cold hands, making testing your BG more difficult. When your hands are warmer, it brings more blood to your fingers. Wearing gloves outside is one of the easiest ways to keep your hands warm during the cold months.

5.       Don’t stop moving-Cold weather can make us want to bundle up by the fire and skip our exercise routine, especially when the sun goes down earlier in the day. It’s important to continue moving during the winter season to help keep your BG levels under control, keep you warm, and relax your mind. Look for ways to work in your daily exercise , such as walking at your local mall, joining a gym, trying activities you can do at home, taking up a new winter sport, or bundling up with a buddy and continuing your outdoor routine.

6.       Keep an eye on your feet-Winter air can dry out and crack your skin, especially on your feet, which can open doors to wounds and infections. Be sure to protect your feet with the necessary winter footwear, especially in the snow and below freezing temperatures. Apply moisturizer to your feet to keep your skin healthy, and inspect them daily

Is Glycemic load or Glycemic Index ? which one we should opt?

What about Glycemic Load?

Your blood glucose levels rise and fall when you eat a meal containing carbohydrates.  How high it rises and how long it stays high depends on the quality of the carbohydrates (the GI) as well as the quantity.  Glycemic Load (or GL) combines both the quantity and quality of carbohydrates.  It is also the best way to compare blood glucose values of different types and amounts of foods. 

What is the Glycemic Response?

After eating a meal, the digestible or available carbohydrates are absorbed into the blood stream, producing an increase in blood glucose concentration.  In time and in response to its tissue disposal, facilitated by the hormone insulin, the blood glucose concentration falls back to or below fasting levels.  The magnitude of the rise and fall of blood glucose and the duration over which it occurs has been termed the glycemic response.    More slowly digestible carbohydrates or minimally processed starchy foods produce a different response. Compared with rapidly digestible carbohydrates they show a slower and more prolonged increase in blood glucose, rising to a lower peak. Other factors include how much food you eat, how much the food is processed and even how the food is prepared For example, pasta that is cooked al dente has a slower glycemic response than pasta that is overcooked.

Should I use GI or GL?

Although the GL concept has been useful in scientific research, it’s the GI that’s proven most helpful to people with diabetes and those who are overweight. That’s because a diet with a low GL, unfortunately, can be a ‘mixed bag’ full of healthy low GI carbs in some cases, but too high in protein and low in carbs and full of the wrong sorts of fats (i.e., saturated) such as those found in some ‘discretionary foods’. If you use the GI as it was originally intended – to choose the lower GI option within a food group or category – you usually select the one with the lowest GL anyway because foods are grouped together for a reason because they contain similar nutrients, including amounts of carbohydrate. So, if you choose healthy low GI foods, at least one at each meal, chances are you’re eating a diet that not only keeps blood glucose ‘on an even keel’ but contains balanced amounts of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. 

Source:-https://www.gisymbol.com/what-about-glycemic-load/

Diabetes - "The Sweet Truth "

 

The incidence and prevalence  of type II diabetes is increasing rapidly in our country .India will soon surpass china and will be labeled as diabetic capital of the world .Diabetes is a silent killer . It’s a mild diseases with serious consequences .In long term diabetes affect eyes ,kidneys ,heart , nerve   and vessels of the limbs can damage these  .

 In order to manage diabetes well one should focus on lifestyle modification. The two important aspects of lifestyle modification are Diet and Exercise.

Diet plays an important role in lives of diabetic people. The diabetic diet should  comprise of whole grains , pulses , vegetables  milk products and  poultry products  . Sugar is labelled as evil in the lives of diabetic people. But now a days there is no special diet  for people living with  diabetes. They can enjoy  all foods  same as non- diabetics . The dietary requirements of different people varies  as per their ethnicity, social  background, likes and dislikes, activity pattern and body requirements.

 One should understand which food group  should be more preferred in diet like fiber/crude fiber and one should know how frequently the food should be consumed in a day for example-: ideally 6 meal pattern should be followed .

  People with diabetes need to eat at about the same time each day , Others can be more flexible with timings of their meals,  depending on  the diabetes medicine. Eating right amount of food with the help of portion control you can manage the blood glucose level and  weight  In meal planning for diabetic people each and every food group should be included .

 The key to eating with diabetes is to eat a variety of healthy foods from all food groups -:

·       Vegetables ( non starchy)- broccoli, carrots , greens peppers and tomatoes.

Starchy- potatoes , corn , and sweet potato , yam

·       Fruits- all fruits are allowed but portion control is main key-200 grams  , avoid sugary fruits when blood sugar are high.

·       Grains- At least half of your grains for the day should be whole grains, includes wheat , rice , oats , barley , quinoa.

·       Proteins- all husked and dehusked  pulses are allowed and low fat diary products should be preferred

·       Fats- oils that are liquid at room temperature should be used like canola , olive and mustard oil

·       Sugars- Indirect sugars can be consumed like fruits

 For portion control one can use everyday objects or one’s hands to judge the size of a portion which will help in managing blood sugars well. One should hydrate his/her body by consuming adequate liquid (water) per day

 The meal for diabetic as well as non diabetic is distributed in 6 meal pattern which includes (3 major meals and 2 minor meal and 1 supper) .

 The behavioural medication is also important key for better blood sugar control.

Conclusion

Medical nutritional therapy (diet for diabetes) form a corner stone of treatment and is essential step in helping the diabetes and its complication under control .by individualised meal planning a diabetic individual can stay healthy as well as can enjoy his or her food as non- diabetic indiviuals.

Men's Health Month - Let's Be Aware

 

The endocrine system plays a critical role in human reproduction and sexuality. In men, the testes (testicles) produce testosterone, a hormone that brings about the physical changes that transform a boy into an adult male. Throughout life, testosterone helps maintain muscle and bone mass, sperm production, and sex drive.

Important reproductive health issues in men include:

• Prostate concerns, including enlarged prostate and prostate cancer

• Male hypogonadism—effects (symptoms) of low testosterone and consistently lower than normal levels of testosterone in the blood

• Male infertility—inability to produce sperm adequate for reproduction
• The endocrine system plays a critical role in human reproduction and sexuality. In men, the testes (testicles) produce testosterone, a hormone that brings about the physical changes that transform a boy into an adult male. Throughout life, testosterone helps maintain muscle and bone mass, sperm production, and sex drive. Women's ovaries produce estrogen and progesterone, hormones responsible for female development and maintaining pregnancy.
  Important reproductive health issues in men include:
  
• Prostate concerns, including enlarged prostate and prostate cancer

• Male hypogonadism—effects (symptoms) of low testosterone and consistently lower than normal levels of testosterone in the blood

• Male infertility—inability to produce sperm adequate for reproduction

• Sexual dysfunction:

Erectile dysfunction—inability to get or keep an erection from enough for sexual intercourse

Decreased libido—reduced sexual desire or interest 

• If you have a reproductive health problem, the first step towards resolving it is getting an accurate diagnosis.
•  For that, you should consult a medical specialist such as an endocrinologist who is an expert in reproductive problems. 
• After a diagnosis, your doctor will describe your treatment options. 
• Many problems can be managed with the use of hormone therapy.
• The endocrine system plays a critical role in human reproduction and sexuality. 
• In men, the testes (testicles) produce testosterone, a hormone that brings about the physical changes that transform a boy into an adult male.
•  Throughout life, testosterone helps maintain muscle and bone mass, sperm production, and sex drive. Women's ovaries produce estrogen and progesterone, hormones responsible for female development and maintaining pregnancy.

Olive Oil- Elixir For Diabetes

OLIVE OIL- Elixir For Diabetes

 

 

 

 

M. Tsimidou, ... D. Boskou, in Encyclopedia of Food Sciences and Nutrition (Second Edition), 2003

Olive oil is part of a cuisine that is simple, light, and placid, with defined tastes and full of harmony, the so-called Mediterranean cuisine. Olive oil resistance to the development of rancidity is combined with a vast array of flavor and color hues and distinct features due to differences in cultivars of olives from which the oil is extracted. A good-quality olive oil blends perfectly with the greens. The exquisite taste of olive oil is very often complemented by the sharp taste of vinegar, lemon, or tomato. In salads or in cooking, olive oil is usually mixed with herbs and spices, which are also an important element of the Mediterranean diet. Olive oil shows a remarkable resistance during domestic deep-frying of potatoes or in other uses at frying temperatures due to its low unsaturation. It is, therefore, recommended not only as a salad oil but also for cooking and frying.

Olive Oil

Olive oil is a key component of the traditional Mediterranean diet and a growing body of evidence supports its inclusion as an important part of an antiinflammatory diet. Olive oil is rich in oleic acid, a monounsaturated fatty acid. Additionally, virgin and extra virgin olive oils, unrefined versions made by pressing freshly picked olives, have high quantities of polyphenols, which have potent antioxidative properties. The benefits of olive oil likely derive from a synergistic relationship between these key components.

Growing evidence from intervention-based trials indicates that olive oil reduces key cardiovascular risk factors. Olive oil, particularly the high-polyphenol virgin or extra virgin varieties, improves lipid profiles and reduces dyslipidemia through an improvement in the quantity and function of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and reduction in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol.  Additionally, olive oil has been shown to decrease blood pressure in patients with hypertension, improve endothelial function in patients with atherosclerotic disease, and reduce markers of inflammation.  Further evidence suggests that regular olive oil consumption, independent of total energy intake, decreases the risk of new-onset diabetes.

Demystifying Artificial Sweetener

Once a person become diabetic the craving for sugars gradually increase Some people will create a good control over these craving , but majority of people a great liking for sweet-tasting foods.

The most everyone has been told and therefore believes that people with diabetes cannot have any sugar and are resigned to live without dessert for the rest of their lives , but it is a myth.

The idea that people with diabetes should avoid sugar is decades old . Logically , it makes sense.

Diabetes is a condition that cause high blood sugar .Therefore people with Diabetes should avoid sugary foods in order to prevent hyperglycemia. And keep their diabetes in control.

 In order to control sweet cravings there are many sweetener available . Here are some sweetener which are bad in diabetes-:

 White sugar-White table sugar is the most recognizable form of granulated sugar. There is no additional nutritional value to granulated sugar.  The glycemic index of white sugar is 65 which is too high diets high in sugar and high fructose corn syrup is associated with health problems like obesity and heart disease.

Honey -Honey is lower on the glycemic index (GI) than granulated sugar, but honey has more calories. So its better to use it as little as possible

Jaggery -Jaggery is a traditional form of sweetener. It is obtained by boiling clarified sugarcane juice. This solid residue is less refined when compared to sugar and retains a lot of essential nutrients such as potassium, iron and calcium. But that doesn’t mean a person with high sugar level can eat jaggery. Its brown color may seem healthy but for a diabetic patient, it is not a healthy choice.

Maple syrup – The glycemic index of maple syrup is 68 which is extremely to high and not safe for diabetics  for consumption . Maple syrup can be used to replace other sugars that a person with diabetes adds to food, while respecting their meal plan.

 Brown Sugar- Brown sugar contains 95 per cent sucrose and 5 per cent molasses, which adds a lovely toffee flavor and moistness but no great nutritional benefits over white sugar.

So with the evolution in food industry the artificial  sweetener came in the market to satisfy the sweet tooth of diabetics. In market there are lots of artificial sweetener available but very few are recognized by the government .  Artificial sweetener are also known as “Modern Sweetener” . They are a class of sugar substitutes having high-intensity sweeteners. These are much sweeter than table sugar .They are

Saccharin- Sodium saccharin (benzoic sulfimide) is an artificial sweetener with effectively no food energy that is about 300–400 times as sweet as sucrose but has a bitter or metallic aftertaste, especially at high concentrations. It is used to sweeten products such as drinks, candies, cookies and food industry

Aspartame-Aspartame (APM) is an artificial non-saccharide sweetener used as a sugar substitute in some foods and beverages. As it does not support a long-term benefit for weight loss or in diabetes

Sucralose-Sucralose is an artificial sweetener and sugar substitute. The majority of ingested sucralose is not broken down by the body, so it is non caloric. Sucralose is about 320 to 1,000 times sweeter than sucrose. It is stable under heat and over a broad range of pH conditions. Therefore, it can be used in baking or in products that require a long shelf life.. It should be consumed moderately

Sorbitol -Sorbitol is a low-calorie sweetener chemically extracted from glucose. It is used as an alternative to sugar in a range of foods, including low-calorie and sugar-free foods, Too much sorbitol in the intestine can cause water retention, resulting in diarrhoea. If consumed in large amounts, it can cause side effects such as bloating and gas.

Stevia- Stevia is also referred as rebaudioside (Reb-A) which is highly purified product that comes from plant stevia and several hundred times sweeter than sugar. It doesn’t provides calories or impact blood glucose

One might be surprised to know that “sugar free “ doesn’t necessarily mean carbohydrate free or calorie free or sugar free.

 There are many sugar substitutes that have carbohydrate and calorie as well. And it is the carbohydrate that has the greatest  affect on blood glucose .

People with diabetes do not manage their condition by cutting sugary foods out of their diet . If you have diabetes , you have to undergo a complete lifestyle modification programme .

In diabetes you can use naturals sugars or eat food that contain natural sugars .If you eat or consume so called sugar free labeled foods  your blood glucose may get affected .. People who are looking forward to manage their weight and blood sugar they can opt for natural sweetener such as stevia or can consume food with  little sweetness . Diabetics must read the labels of all diabetes friendly foods before buying . One must remember that carbohydrate are effective sugar for the people with diabetes , if you have diabetes either type 1 or type 2 you must learn to read ingredients and nutrition labels , instead of relying solely on sugar free.

Having Sugar Knowledge is Important

Contrary to popular belief, people with diabetes can consume sugar but it’s best when consumed in foods where it occurs naturally as it does in whole fruits. Understanding the type of sugar you consume and how much, is essential for successful diabetes management.

Knowing what to eat when you have diabetes can be overwhelming. Having to decide which sugar to use can add another perplexing layer.

 People with diabetes need to understand which sweeteners will impact their blood sugars and account for it in meal planning. 

Just because a sugar is labeled “natural” or “organic” does not make it a healthier choice.

But truly the best thing you can do for your blood sugar is to avoid adding sugar (no matter what form it comes in) to your food. For overall health, it’s best to focus on a wholesome diet that includes less processed foods, more whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and a very limited amount of sweets or food with added sugar.  That goes for people without diabetes too!