Diabetes: A Deadly Problem

When we eat, our body normally turns food into glucose, and a hormone called insulin helps the glucose get into body cells. In diabetes, however, too much glucose stays in the blood. As a result, two problems occur: body cells become starved for energy, and, over time, the high glucose levels can damage the nerves, eyes, kidneys, heart and blood vessels.

There are two main kinds of diabetes:

1.) Noninsulin-dependent diabetes (type II diabetes): The most common form of diabetes, accounting for 90 to 95 percent of all cases. People with this condition either don't produce enough insulin to control glucose levels or their cells simply do not respond to the insulin.

2.) Insulin-dependent diabetes (type I diabetes): It is much less common but more severe. This condition is caused by damage to the pancreas, an organ near the stomach that contains beta cells, which produce insulin. Without insulin-producing beta cells, glucose builds up in the blood.

Researchers think diabetes is caused by a combination of genes and also by lifestyle. Some of the factors put many people at risk like: Obesity, Inactivity, A family history of diabetes, Belonging to certain ethnic groups (genetic susceptibility to Type 2 diabetes is higher among blacks, Hispanic Americans, American Indians, Asians and Pacific Islanders), Developing gestational diabetes during a pregnancy or giving birth to an infant that weighs nine pounds or more.

Treatment of diabetes

1.) Eating a healthy diet
2.) Exercise
3.) Glucose Testing
4.) Drugs: Rezulin, Rezulin--Avandia and Actos (for type- II diabetes), other pills like sulfonylureas, Prandin
5.) Insulin Speeds:

a. Fast-acting (regular) insulin. Regular insulin reaches the bloodstream in only 30 minutes. It reaches its peak action in two to three hours.

b. Intermediate-acting (NPH or lente) insulin. Lente insulin takes two to four hours to reach the bloodstream. And reaches peak action in four to 12 hours.

c. Long-acting (ultralente) insulin. Ultralente insulin reaches the bloodstream in six to 10 hours, and lasts in the blood 18 to 20 hours (it doesn't have peak action).

All About Cholesterol

Cholesterol is a a lipid, a soft, fat-like substance or a component of cell membranes, is found in all body tissues, and is converted into various hormones. Cholesterol comes from two sources: it's produced by the body, mainly in the liver. And it's found in food, especially animal products such as meat, poultry, seafood, dairy products and eggs.

Like other nutrients, cholesterol has to travel to the body's cells through the blood. However, since it is not water soluble, the substance must be transported to organs by special carriers called lipoproteins. There are several kinds of lipoproteins, but low density lipoprotein (LDL) and high density lipoprotein (HDL). LDL cholesterol is a bad one because it can form plaque (a thick, hard deposit) that restricts the flow of blood through the arteries and can result in a heart attack or stroke. On the other hand (HDL) is good cholesterol because it not only carries cholesterol away from the arteries and back to the liver, where it's removed from the body, but it sweeps away the cholesterol dumped by LDL.

Preventive measures

1.) If you are a healthy adult over 20, test your blood cholesterol levels at least once every five years.
2.) Eat no more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol a day. One egg yolk has about 213 milligrams of cholesterol. Egg whites, on the other hand, have no cholesterol or fat and are a great source of protein. You can substitute two egg whites for each egg yolk in many recipes that call for eggs.
3.) Limit your total fat intake to less than 30 percent of calories, with less than 10 percent coming from saturated fats. You can accomplish this by:
4.) Choosing more fruits, vegetables and whole grains instead of fatty meats and bakery goods.
5.) Eating fish, poultry without skin and lean meats instead of fatty ones.
6.) Consuming low-fat or skim milk dairy products instead of whole milk dairy products.
7.) Exercise regularly it will also help you to decrease the level of cholesterol in your body.

Antioxidants

To understand the importance of antioxidants, it is first necessary to understand oxidation. The oxidation process causes metal to rust, fruit to turn brown and oils to go rancid. Inside the body, oxidations severely damage the cells and allow diseases to get a foothold. Free Radicals which are destructive oxygen byproducts, , are produced both in our bodies and in the environment due to factors like cigarette smoke and polluted air. Antioxidants seem to deactivate free radicals, and therefore protect cells from damage and so the body from diseases.

Antioxidant vitamins (including beta carotene which is the building block for vitamin A), and vitamins C and E may also help prevent some of the adverse effects of smoking, and they may help prevent the buildup of low density lipoprotein (LDL), known as bad cholesterol, in artery walls. In addition, antioxidant vitamins, especially vitamins C and E, appear to play an important role in protecting the body against cancer. They seem to block the formation of chemical carcinogens in the stomach, protect DNA and fats in the blood from damage, and enhance the function of the immune system. So experts recommend eating a balanced diet that includes at least five to six servings of fruits and vegetables high in antioxidants each and every day. Antioxidant nutrients can be obtained by taking supplements too. So we can take the balanced diet consists of antioxidants everyday in a week:

Monday:
Lemon Blackberry Parfait, Shrimp Artichoke Salad and more yummy menu choices.

Tuesday:
Artichoke, Goat Cheese & Potato Omelets, Glazed Plums and other power packed snacks.

Wednesday:
Black Bean Burgers and Plum and Pecan Salad are just a few of the delicious items on today's menu.

Thursday:
Verry Berry Smoothies and a scrumptous Three-Apple Salad top off Thursday's list.

Friday:
Thank Goodness it's Friday, with Pecan Crusted Snapper and a Red Berry Wine Sauce.

Asthma: A Chronic Illness

Asthma is a drastic disease. It can affect a person in any age. Asthma is an allergic inflammation of the lungs. It can be caused by air pollutants, pollens, molds, dust, chemicals, foods or even changes in temperature. These causative agents produce allergens, which are then absorbed into the blood stream causing the B cells or white blood cells to produce billions of molecules of the antibody IgE. These IgE molecules are in the bloodstream and then they combines with the mast cells, which are used for lining the blood vessels or basophils, which are a type of white blood cell.

Mast cells and basophils both contain histamine and serotonin, and the antibody IgE causes the mast cells and basophils to remove the histamine and serotonin into the blood stream. In addition to this, the production of a group of fatty acids called lucotrienes or Lt's are the primary cause of asthma symptoms. Lt's are formed by the combination or action of two enzymes, phospholipase A2 and lipxygenase. When you experience an asthma attack, the walls of the lungs become inflamed and the mucus membranes fill with fluid and thick, sticky mucus making it difficult to breathe.

Symptoms:

1.) Common asthma symptoms are a scratchy throat, coughing, shortness of breath, wheezing, and a tight feeling in the chest.
2.) An asthma attack can be mild, moderate or severe and lasting for a few minutes, hours, or even several days.
3.) Extreme difficulty in breathing, talking and walking,
4.) Your fingernails or lips are turning blue,
5.) Chest feels tight and your ribs are pulled inward as you breathe,
6.) Nostrils are flaring when you breath

From 1982 to 1994 the annual death rate from asthma rose 75% and is continuing to rise. Doctors and researchers agree that the single most important thing that parents can do to prevent their child from developing asthma in the first place is to eliminate or significantly reduce dust mite allergens in the home. Dust mite allergens are known to play a major role in asthma development. Researchers have determined that other important allergens also need to be eliminated from the home are cats, certain types of mold, dogs, cockroaches and tobacco smoke. Long term use of steroid drugs is not recommended by doctors and has serious side effects. Making these preventative environmental changes is a much more viable, healthy and preferable alternative.

How to Loose Fat

Weight training is helpful to reduce your fat by increasing your muscle mass and more muscle means more calories burned (faster metabolism). It also helps to give your skin a more tone, tight appearance, lowers your blood pressure, strengthens your bones, improves your agility, increases your flexibility, strengthens your immune system and gives you more energy and a brighter outlook on life. For women, lower body fat and cellulite are very common problems. In this area there is very little circulation of blood. In other words, the lack of blood vessel activity in those areas make it very difficult for the body to move that fat into the bloodstream where it can be used as fuel by the body. The only non-surgical way to remove the cellulite is to simply go on a long-term fat loss program.

Men have a similar common fat storage area around their stomach and waist. Women do tend to lose fat at a slower rate than men. Women simply store fat more efficiently than men because it is needed during and after pregnancy. The most difficulty arises to lose fat usually at centers around the waist, belly and lower back areas for men, and the upper thigh and buttocks, area for women. These areas are comprised of mostly brown adipose tissue (fat). This type of fat is difficult to lose because of the low blood circulation in these areas hinder the fat mobilization. Many thermogenic agents like ephedrine and blood thinning supplements like aspirin help to improve fat loss - they increase blood circulation into these hard to reach areas and mobilize the stubborn fat. The only way to decrease the amount of fat in certain key areas is by lowering your total body fat levels. As you lose fat, it will come off all over your body, not just in specific areas. If you follow a complete diet and weight training program for at least 12 weeks, you will begin to see psychological and physiological changes occurring with your body. You can expect lower body fat, increased muscle mass, increased metabolism, increased sense of well-being, more energy, lower blood cholesterol level, decreased risk of heart disease, and most important, increased self-confidence.

Your fat loss program should include the following:
1.) A calorie restrictive diet, which requires you to eat no less than 10x and no more than 15x your LEAN bodyweight in calories.
2.) Regular cardiovascular activity for at least 30-45 minutes 3-4 times per week.
3.) Weight training.
4.) Your diet should include the supplements like vitamins, minerals and amino acids. Your diet should include the adequate dietary fat, including high amounts of Essential Fatty Acids like Omega-6 and Omega-3.