It’s that time of year when the tomatoes are ripening on the vine! There’s nothing quite like a fresh tomato, and in addition to being delicious on their own and in so many foods, tomatoes are also good for you. ?Read on to learn about the health benefits of tomatoes and the many ways you can enjoy them. Why eat tomatoes? Sure, tomatoes taste good, especially if you can raise or get home-grown ones. They’re also incredibly nutritious. Tomatoes are technically a fruit, but most of us treat them like a vegetable, and they rank as the fourth most commonly eaten vegetable in the United States. Here’s why it’s a great idea to include tomatoes in your eating plan: They can help with diabetes management. The fiber in tomatoes combined with the low carb content can make it easier to keep your blood sugars within your target range. They can help maintain a healthy blood pressure. Tomatoes are a good source of potassium, a mineral that helps keep your blood pressure in a safe range. They promote heart health. In addition to potassium, tomatoes are ripe with vitamin C, fiber, folate and choline – nutrients that can help you lower [...]]]>
If you’ve been reading or hearing about detox diets and cleanses, you might be wondering if a detox is right for you. But is detoxing safe? Does it really work? And how might it affect your diabetes? Detox demystified The word “detox” is short for detoxification. The purpose of detoxing is to remove toxins from your body, including harmful substances from the environment or your body’s own waste products, like ammonia and lactic acid. While the idea of detoxing is very appealing (after all, who wants toxins in their body?), the reality is that there isn’t much evidence that it works. Besides, the body has its own built-in detoxing ability. The liver, kidneys and the intestines remove harmful substances naturally. Kidneys filter out waste and chemicals, the liver neutralizes bad stuff and renders it into smaller particles that are then excreted in the urine or stool. Intestines have healthy bacteria, called probiotics, that help keep the immune system working, fend off toxins, and even breakdown substances that might cause cancer. Detox downside But what if your intestines, liver or kidneys aren’t in great shape? Should you do something to help them detox your body? Maybe it is a good idea [...]]]>
Summer is here, along with all those sweet and juicy summer fruits at your local grocery store or farmers’ market. But what about the sugar in fruit? Won’t that cause your blood sugars to go too high? It doesn’t have to, if you choose lower glycemic index fruits.]]>
If you have diabetes, it’s important to take good care of your heart and blood vessels. According to the American Heart Association, adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to die from heart disease than adults who don’t have diabetes. Don’t be part of this statistic! Take charge of your heart health with these simple steps.]]>
Every January, the American Diabetes Associations issues its Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes. These are guidelines that help your healthcare team provide you with the best diabetes care, and help you better manage your own diabetes. What’s new or different for 2017?? Let’s take a look. Promoting Health and Reducing Disparities in Populations This section is called “Strategies for Improving Care,” and is about the importance of “patient-centered care,” or care that is respectful of your own preferences, needs, and values. What it means for you: When providing care, your healthcare team needs to be aware of possible social and lifestyle issues, like food insecurity (access to enough food), housing issues, and financial barriers (can’t afford health insurance). Your healthcare team should take all these into consideration when developing your treatment plan. When needed, you should be referred to support services within your community. You might also get diabetes self-management support from community health workers or coaches, especially if you live in an underserved community. Classification and Diagnosis of Diabetes In type 1 diabetes, blood glucose and A1C levels increase before the symptoms of type 1 diabetes appear. The American Diabetes Association recognizes three different stages of type 1 [...]]]>
Family dinners. Office parties. Cookie swaps. Homemade pies and cakes. How is it possible to survive the holidays? Managing your blood sugars and your weight between Thanksgiving and New Year’s can seem like an overwhelming challenge –you might feel like throwing up your hands and pouring another glass of eggnog! But before you reach for another holiday cookie, know that with a few tweaks to your diabetes plan, you can stay on track and enjoy this holiday season. Shift your food focus Allow yourself a treat here and there, but decide what you really want: a slice of homemade pumpkin pie? A dish of plum pudding? Don’t waste calories and carbs on foods that you don’t really love. Survey the buffet. Before you grab a plate and start serving yourself, take a look at what’s on the table. First fill half of your plate with vegetables or salad. Round out your plate with foods that you like best. And if one is available, use a smaller salad or dessert plate instead of a full-size dinner plate. Eat before you go. Whether it’s a party or a sit-down dinner, eat a small, protein-rich snack before you leave to take the edge [...]]]>
Your health care provider has probably recommended that you stay active to keep your blood glucose levels stable.? This is because daily exercise helps your insulin work more effectively.? According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA),staying active most days of the week means better health outcomes for people with diabetes, or who are at risk for diabetes. What is considered staying active? According to the ADA, staying active includes: At least 3 minutes of light activity, such as walking, leg lifts, overhead arm stretches, or side lunges, if you’re sitting or being inactive for 30 minutes or more. Moderate aerobic exercise, such as brisk walking, biking, swimming, water aerobics, walking stairs, or jumping rope, for 150 minutes (2 ? hours) each week. Strength exercises, using free weights or resistance bands, 2 to 3 days a week, preferably every other day. 2 to 3 days a week of stretching and exercises like yoga or tai chi to help stay flexible and to maintain balance. Should my activities depend on the type of diabetes I have? If you have type 1 diabetes, you are more at risk of getting low blood glucose levels after you exercise. You’ll want to make sure that [...]]]>
Calcium is necessary for strong bones, but it also plays other important roles in the body. To be sure you’re getting enough of this vital nutrient, here are the best food sources, and the amount you should eat, to achieve and maintain good health. Are you getting enough of it?]]>
It seems everywhere you turn, the word “healthy” is used on food labels from granola bars to lunch meats and yogurt to pudding. “Healthy” is used so much the meaning has been lost. Nearly twenty years ago, low-fat was the craze, and foods low in fat were considered healthy. But now we know that some types of fat are actually good for us. So the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is changing the way healthy is defined in the food industry.]]>
Checking blood sugar is now so quick, easy, and relatively painless — and the information you can obtain is so valuable — that you would think everybody would be monitoring regularly. But this is far from true. If you don’t check your blood glucose as often as you should, you aren’t the only one. An American Diabetes Association survey found that 21% of adults with Type 1 diabetes never checked their blood glucose. Of those with insulin-treated Type 2 diabetes, 47% never monitored. And among those with Type 2 diabetes who were not using insulin, 76% never checked. Click here to read the full article. ]]>
One of the healthiest spices around is turmeric. If this golden spice isn’t in your cupboard yet, make sure to add it to your shopping list. Not only does turmeric lend color and flavor to curries, stews and rice dishes, it provides a number of health benefits that you won’t want to miss!]]>
Summertime is here, and icy cold beer, frosty cocktails and chilled wine are very tempting refreshers. But should you drink alcohol if you have diabetes? And if it’s okay, how much and what type is best? Read on to learn how to safely include adult beverages in a healthy lifestyle. First things first Alcohol is a drug, and like all drugs it must be metabolized, or processed, by the liver to make it “safe.” It takes about two hours to metabolize one drink. If you drink alcohol faster than your liver can handle, you end up feeling tipsy or getting drunk. If you take insulin or certain types of diabetes pills called ‘sulfonylureas.’ you need to be especially careful. These medicines increase the risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar). So drinking alcohol while taking either insulin or sulfonylureas make it more likely that you’ll have a low blood sugar because your liver will be processing the alcohol instead of keeping your blood sugar in a safe range. Other than the risk of low blood sugar, you should also go easy with alcohol for other reasons. For example, drinking too much alcohol can: Raise blood pressure Raise triglycerides (blood fats) [...]]]>
Our recommended daily intake of salt is one teaspoon, or less than 2300 milligrams (mg) of sodium. This comes from the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. But most people eat much more than 2300 mg. In fact, the average intake is more than 3400 mg per day. Too much sodium raises the risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke.]]>