The Biggest Risk For Diabetes: Belly Fat
Being overweight or obese is the biggest risk factor for type 2 diabetes. However, your risk is higher if you tend to carry your weight around your abdomen as opposed to your hips and thighs. A lot of belly fat surrounds the abdominal organs and liver and is closely linked to insulin resistance. You are at an increased risk of developing diabetes if you are:
- A woman with a waist circumference of 35 inches or more
- A man with a waist circumference of 40 inches or more
Calories obtained from fructose are more likely to add weight around your abdomen. Cutting back on sugary foods can mean a slimmer waistline as well as a lower risk of diabetes.
How Does Diabetes Affect Protein Metabolism
In addition to carbohydrates, the body can use protein as an energy source. In some situations, the body can break down protein from its own muscles for energy. Experts term this catabolism.
An older 2008 article notes that people with type 1 diabetes who do not have enough insulin from their medication may experience catabolism, leading to a significant reduction in muscle mass. This same effect does not occur in people with type 2 diabetes.
Having Too Much Sugar
Although sugar provides less energy than fat, it can contribute to the energy density of foods and drinks. Its easy to overindulge in foods, especially drinks, with high sugar content.Having too much sugar is not the only reason for obesity or being overweight, but it does add to the amount of kilojoules in food. Eating too much of any food, without doing enough exercise, will cause you to become overweight.
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How To Get More Energy By Controlling Your Glucose Levels
Sometimes, the quest for more energy may require a fundamental psychological shift in how you view food. Another energy drink or coffee may just be a quick fix that blinds us to the metabolic chaos underneath.
Getting more energy likely means modifying a few life habits in the pursuit of metabolic fitness. This will require learning your personal unique response to food and lifestyle choices and distilling your learnings into actionable steps.
Given the research highlighting the links between glucose spikes, glucose dips, glycemic variability, and elevated fasting glucose with reduced energy levels and fatigue, there can be a significant benefit in regularly tracking glucose levels to understand better your personal glucose levels in response to different foods.
You have a few options at your disposal:
- Reduce your carbohydrate intake per meal. Every human body is unique, and we all respond to carbohydrates differently. Some people may be more sensitive to carbs, whereas others arent. Testing your response to carbohydrates can help you zero in on how much they raise your glucose.
- Change your carbohydrates per meal. Within the same vein of our metabolic uniqueness, we also respond to different types of carbohydrates differently. For example, the same banana can spike one persons glucose levels significantly while having a minimal effect on another.
- Try out other metabolic health strategies, like optimizing sleep and engaging in regular exercise, to control glucose levels.
Diabetes And Energy Explained
Before I get into the how on increasing your energy, first Id like to tell you what causes you to lose energy.
When you arent active and eat the wrong foods, this is what leads to that loss of energy.
Our bodies arent designed to eat large amounts and not move in order to burn off the calories that we eat.
Most people will notice that when their blood sugar numbers are running high, they feel more tired than usual. And have less energy.
One reasons for the lack of energy is because your cells arent getting the sugar they need for energy. AND, when they are resistant to insulin, sugar remains in your bloodstream.
Its like a domino effect.
This is why it is important to take the necessary steps:
One last point on this is sometimes the medications you are taking can decrease your energy. Andsome medications make you gain weight. If this sounds familiar it may be time to talk to your doctor.
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Eat At Regularly Set Times
Your body is better able to regulate blood sugar levelsand your weightwhen you maintain a regular meal schedule. Aim for moderate and consistent portion sizes for each meal.
Start your day off with a good breakfast. It will provide energy as well as steady blood sugar levels.
Eat regular small mealsup to 6 per day. Eating regularly will help you keep your portions in check.
Keep calorie intake the same. To regulate blood sugar levels, try to eat roughly the same amount every day, rather than overeating one day or at one meal, and then skimping the next.
Dairy Foods And Alternatives
Milk, cheese and yogurt have lots of calcium and protein in great for your bones, teeth and muscles. But some dairy foods are high in fat, particularly saturated fat, so choose lower-fat alternatives.
Check for added sugar in lower-fat versions of dairy foods, like yoghurt. Its better to go for unsweetened yoghurt and add some berries if you want it sweeter. If you prefer a dairy alternative like soya milk, choose one thats unsweetened and calcium-fortified.
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What Are Energy Drinks
The CDC defines energy drinks as beverages that typically contain large amounts of caffeine, added sugars, other additives, and legal stimulants such as guarana, taurine, and L-carnitine. The legal stimulants in energy drinks can increase alertness, attention, energy, as well as increase blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing.
Some energy drinks also contain B vitamins. B vitamins help the body use energy from food . They may also contain other herbs, such as ginseng. Energy drinks are in the category of dietary supplements, which means that dont undergo a FDA approval process.
Can Diabetics Consume Sugar
Yes diabetics can consume sugar, if they closely monitor their sugar intake.
The recommended maximum daily sugar intake for normal, healthy men is 50g and women is 25g. Of course, diabetics will usually have their own, stricter limitations than these.
Its wise to not exceed your sugar intake guidelines as it can lead to a spike in your blood sugar levels, which is potentially very dangerous if youre a diabetic.
While youre monitoring your sugar intake from beverages, dont forget that normal food items, like rice, bread and biscuits contain varying amounts of sugar too.
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How Does Diabetes Affect Fat Metabolism
When a person has enough insulin, their body is able to use and store glucose effectively.
However, without insulin, the body can switch to using stored fat instead. This happens through a process that experts refer to as ketosis.
During ketosis, the body releases ketones, which are chemicals that break down from fats. If ketone levels become too high, they can make the blood acidic. This results in a serious condition known as diabetic ketoacidosis .
DKA mainly occurs in people with type 1 diabetes, but it can also develop in those with type 2 diabetes. It is a potentially life threatening condition that requires emergency treatment.
Blood ketone monitors or urine testing strips can help people check their ketone levels.
Diet, exercise, and body weight have a significant influence on metabolism and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Fatty Seafood Offers Immune
The omega-3 fatty acids found in some types of fish such as salmon, sardines, herring, and mackerel enhance the functioning of immune cells, says the Sparta, New Jerseybased Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDCES, author of 2 Day Diabetes Diet and a consultant for Swisse Wellness.
Although a review and meta-analysis published in August 2019 in the BMJ found that omega-3s have little or no effect on type 2 diabetes directly, Palinski-Wade says they can have significant benefit when it comes to better immune function. EPA, a component of omega-3s, may enhance the activity of white blood cells, which strengthens the immune benefits, she notes. A past study suggests this effect can not only be significant, but can also happen fairly quickly within a week, those researchers found.
Plus, these seaworthy choices offer established heart benefits, notes a review published in the MayJune 2013 issue of the Indian Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism. Fatty fish appear to lower inflammation, thereby improving blood vessel function and decreasing triglycerides, according to the Mayo Clinic.
When prepared without sauces, fatty fish can be a great low-carb food to add to your diabetes diet. According to the USDA, a 5-ounce serving of salmon contains only 5 g of carbs.
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Balancing Insulin And Blood Sugar For Energy
The rise and fall in insulin and blood sugar happens many times during the day and night. The amount of glucose and insulin in our bloodstream depends on when we eat and how much. When the body is working as it should, it can keep blood sugar in target range, which is between 70 and 140 milligrams per deciliter. However, even in people without diabetes, blood sugar levels can go up as high as 180 during or right after a meal. Within two hours after eating, blood sugar levels should drop to under 140. After several hours without eating, blood sugar can drop as low as 70.
Using glucose for energy and keeping it balanced with just the right amount of insulin not too much and not too little is the way our bodies maintain the energy needed to stay alive, work, play, and function even as we sleep.
What Diabetics Eat To Get Energy
Diabetics get their energy, or calories, from carbohydrate-rich foods with a low to moderate glycemic index 2. The glycemic index is a measure of how rapidly a food raises your blood sugar or glucose 2. Energy-rich foods for diabetics also have a significant amount of fiber, fat or protein which slows the digestion and absorption of the food.
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Track Your Progress With A Weekly Weigh
The only way to know youre gaining weight is to weigh yourself. A weekly weigh-in can track your progress and help you modify your current eating routine, as needed.
If youre taking in enough calories, you should start to see an increase of about one pound in one weeks time. Target a one- to two-pound weekly increase until you reach your goal weight.
Why Should I Be Physically Active If I Have Diabetes
Physical activity is an important part of managing your blood glucose level and staying healthy. Being active has many health benefits.
Physical activity
- burns extra calories so you can keep your weight down if needed
- improves your mood
- can prevent falls and improve memory in older adults
- may help you sleep better
If you are overweight, combining physical activity with a reduced-calorie eating plan can lead to even more benefits. In the Look AHEAD: Action for Health in Diabetes study,1 overweight adults with type 2 diabetes who ate less and moved more had greater long-term health benefits compared to those who didnt make these changes. These benefits included improved cholesterol levels, less sleep apnea, and being able to move around more easily.
Even small amounts of physical activity can help. Experts suggest that you aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate or vigorous physical activity 5 days of the week.3 Moderate activity feels somewhat hard, and vigorous activity is intense and feels hard. If you want to lose weight or maintain weight loss, you may need to do 60 minutes or more of physical activity 5 days of the week.3
Be patient. It may take a few weeks of physical activity before you see changes in your health.
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Carrots Are Packed With Vitamin A And Low On The Glycemic Index
Vitamin A can help support the immune system through a variety of cellular processes, and one top source is carrots, says Cara Schrager, MPH, RDN, a certified diabetes care and education specialist and the clinical programs manager at the Joslin Diabetes Center in Boston.
“Carrots contain beta-carotene, which is a major source of vitamin A,” she says, so much so that the common garden vegetable actually gave the phytonutrient its name. Furthermore, Schrager says, they contain a low glycemic load, meaning they are unlikely to cause a blood sugar spike.
They’re helpful for eye health, an important consideration for those with diabetes, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases .
Over time, diabetes can cause eye damage that leads to poor vision and puts you at higher risk for issues like cataracts and glaucoma. Research published in Nutrients has found that the beta-carotene in carrots, along with lutein, provides antioxidants that can help prevent eye damage.
How to enjoy them Schrader suggests grating carrots into tomato sauce or ground meat, or snacking on baby carrots. According to the USDA, about of a cup offers 586 micrograms of vitamin A, or about 65 percent of the DV.
How Is Diabetes Treated
There’s no cure for diabetes, but it can be managed and controlled. The goals of managing diabetes are to:
- Keep your blood sugar levels as near to normal as possible by balancing food intake with medication and activity.
- Maintain your blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels as near their normal ranges as possible by avoiding added sugars and processed starches and by reducing saturated fat and cholesterol.
- Control your blood pressure. Your blood pressure should not go over 130/80.
- Slow or possibly prevent the development of diabetes-related health problems.
You hold the key to managing your diabetes by:
- Planning what you eat and following a balanced meal plan
- Taking medicine, if prescribed, and closely following the guidelines on how and when to take it
- Monitoring your blood sugar and blood pressure levels at home
- Keeping your appointments with your health care providers and having laboratory tests as ordered by your doctor
Remember: What you do at home every day affects your blood sugar more than what your doctor can do every few months during your checkups.
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Insulin Opens Cell Doors
When insulin is released from the pancreas, it travels through the bloodstream to the body’s cells and tells the cell doors to open to let the glucose in. Once inside, the cells convert glucose into energy to use right then or store it to use later.
As glucose moves from the bloodstream into the cells, blood sugar levels start to drop. The beta cells in the pancreas can tell this is happening, so they slow down the amount of insulin they’re making. At the same time, the pancreas slows down the amount of insulin that it’s releasing into the bloodstream. When this happens, the amount of glucose going into the cells also slows down.
How Do Energy Drinks Differ From Sports Drinks
Both energy drinks and sports drinks have added ingredients that are intended to do something, such as make you feel more alert and energized, as in the case of energy drinks. Sports drinks contain ingredients that are intended to increase or enhance athletic performance for example, sports drinks typically contain carbohydrate and electrolytes, including potassium and sodium. They might also contain vitamins.
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What Diabetes Does To Your Body
Diabetes wreaks havoc on the way your blood glucose, or blood sugar affects your body. Blood glucose is your bodys source of energy for the cells in your muscles and tissues, but it only needs a certain amount.
How much you have is controlled by your bodys insulin, a hormone generated by your pancreas designed to regulate blood glucose levels. Diabetes lowers or eliminates the insulin in your body, causing a spike in blood glucose in your body and leading to a lot of complications.
Glucerna Vs Boost Vs Ensure
By riquelskyy Latest Reply2017-02-06 07:00:39 -0600 Which is better? Or does it depend on how it effects your blood sugar? By far Glucerna has least amount of sugar at 5g but Boost also has 5g but also haz 11g more protein. So Boost is the Winner. Ensure is out! Ic u add Atkins to the discussion then that is ths winner with only 1g sugar, 15g protein, and 1 g net carb its funny none of you answered thd question. Its like the saying People dont listen to understand they listen to reply. Everyone gave answerc to what they take or would but nobody answered which of the 3 in the question is better. hahaha Isopure was recommended by my gastric bypass doctor for the protein. You can get it powder form or ready made. I mix either with sugar-free fruit drinks to “spice” up the taste. GNC cares them. I looked up the nutrition labels at the sites James recommended and most have a lot more carbs than my system could handle. I used to use Atkins and EAS low carb protein shakes. They only have 2 net carbs per serving and either one didnt spike my blood sugar. I now use the EAS protein powder shake. One scoop and add water or soy or nut milk and drink. I found the powder was a lot cheaper than the ready mixes. The one I use has just 2 net carbs per serving. Been using them at breakfast for over 2 years now. I have to use low carb nut milk or soy milk because milk is a high carb drink. I found water works pretty good and doesnt add any carbs.Continue reading > >
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