Gastroparesis is a common diabetes complication that affects the muscles in the stomach and intestines. Symptoms include fullness, bloating, heartburn, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation. It can also be hard to keep your blood glucose under control if you have this condition. Some people with gastroparesis find it hard to eat any solid foods, which can lead to weight loss and malnutrition.]]>
You probably already know that a cornerstone of a healthy, balanced meal plan is plenty of plant foods. Fresh, frozen, and even canned vegetables, fruit, grains, beans and nuts provide important nutrients to help you avoid serious illnesses. A new study from researchers at Imperial College London in the UK has found what many health experts have long suspected: Eating more plants than animals is better for your heart. This was a very big study. The team looked at over 450,000 European men and women, and asked them detailed questions about their meal plans and other lifestyle factors, like physical activity. They were all between the ages of 35 and 70. At the end of the study, it was found that those who ate more plant than animal foods had a 20% lower risk of heart disease and stroke than the subjects who ate more meat, milk, and eggs. A few recent studies have also shown the benefits of eating more: Whole grains Beans and legumes Fruits Vegetables Nuts and seeds However, the researchers wrote that this type of study can’t prove that the plant foods were the biggest factor in the lowered heart disease risk. People who eat mostly [...]]]>
If you have children, you may be tempted to try and lower their heart disease and diabetes risk by cutting out as much fat and sugar as possible from their meal plans. However, a recent report from the American Academy of Pediatrics, published in the journal Pediatrics, has shown that a little fat and sugar may actually help improve the overall quality of your children’s diet. The researchers suggest not telling children that foods containing fat and sugar are “bad,” since a little bit of these foods benefit your child’s health. In addition, sugar can be a good thing in small doses; a teaspoon of brown sugar, for example, may get your child to eat high-fiber oatmeal instead of sugary cereal for breakfast. Therefore, it is suggested that parents loosen up on their restrictions of fat and sugar, and start getting children more involved in grocery shopping for the fruits and veggies they enjoy. Allowing children to help prepare meals and healthy snacks can make them more likely to try a wide variety of healthy foods. Parents are encouraged to provide children with a few different healthy choices during meal and snack time, and to not get upset if [...]]]>
New dietary guidelines put out by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) state that Americans should no longer be worried about eating high-cholesterol foods like egg yolks and shellfish. However, some experts in the nutrition field, such the chairman of cardiovascular medicine at Cleveland Clinic and spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, are afraid that this new guideline is sending a mixed message about how people should view fats in their daily eating. Experts make it clear that although it is okay to eat high-cholesterol foods, it is important that they have low amounts of saturated fat. When saturated fat is digested in the body, it is moved to the liver where it is changed into “bad” LDL cholesterol, which can raise your heart disease risk. Foods that are high in saturated fat that should be limited as part of a heart healthy eating plan include: Margarines Fatty meats, especially if they are processed Fried foods Processed baked goods Candies with hydrogenated oils Instead, try to focus on including more heart healthy unsaturated fats, such as olive oil, nuts, seeds, avocado, and fatty fish. A moderate amount of healthy fats each day, along with plenty of [...]]]>
The number of obese children in the United States is growing every day. Obesity puts children at a high risk for diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) found that over two-thirds of obese children have at least one risk factor for heart disease, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high triglycerides (another type of blood fat). A study recently published in?The Journal of Pediatrics?found that a plant-based meal plan may help lower the risk of heart disease in obese children.?Researchers at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio looked at a group of obese children who had high cholesterol levels. The children were asked to follow either a plant-based eating plan or the American Heart Association’s (AHA) plan, which is low in fat, sodium (salt), sugar, red meats, and processed foods. The children on the plant-based meal plan ate plenty of plants and whole grains, no animal products, and limited amounts of avocado and nuts. Both groups had weekly, two-hour long nutrition sessions. At the end of the four-week study, the children in the plant-based group had lower body mass index (BMI) and weight, smaller waist and arm measurements, lower blood pressure, and lower [...]]]>
Metabolic syndrome in children is on the rise. This condition, which carries a high risk for type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers, has a range of symptoms.]]>
Protein is an important nutrient in any heart healthy, balanced meal plan. Not only does it help you maintain lean muscle mass and keep you full between meals, it also supports many other important processes in your body. People with diabetes know that they must keep track of how many carbohydrates they eat each day, but protein may become lost in the carb counting. A recent study published in the journal Clinical Nutrition has found that those with diabetes may not be getting enough protein each day.]]>
People with Type 1 Diabetes May Need Different Blood Glucose Goals Low blood glucose (called?hypoglycemia) can be especially dangerous for people with type 1 diabetes. If they don’t keep their blood glucose high enough, they can face serious problems like losing consciousness or even death. For this reason, many healthcare providers tell their patients with type 1 diabetes that keeping their blood glucose a little high is safer than letting it get too low. Still, they worried that this would lead to long-term complications, like blindness, liver failure and heart disease. Now, there is good news. A recent study from the Pitt Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburg has shown that good blood glucose control, even at the upper end of “normal,” is linked to longer life and better health for people with type 1 diabetes. The researchers followed almost 1,500 people with type 1 diabetes for 27 years. At the end of the study, they looked at how well each person controlled his or her blood glucose, and how many people had died. Those who managed to keep their blood glucose levels at the top end of the normal range were less likely to [...]]]>
As more and more people are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, researchers have been looking hard for meal plans that can help prevent it. Though you have many plans to choose from, researchers at the Joslin Diabetes Center and Harvard School of Public Health believe they have found the best ones for preventing diabetes and controlling blood glucose levels. Their review of recent clinical trials and observational studies was published in Lancet.]]>
Greek diet may lower risk of artery disease A Greek, or Mediterranean meal plan, is rich in healthy fats such as olive oil, nuts, seeds, and fish, while limiting processed foods that are full of trans fats. Those who consume this type of meal plan have been shown to be one-third less likely to develop heart disease than those who do not. A recent study found that the Greek style of eating can also help slow the progression of artery disease. ?Those who consumed a Greek style of eating were one-half to two-thirds less likely to develop peripheral artery disease (PAD) than those who consumed a low-fat diet. Read more… Blood-type meal plan is just another fad Every day it seems there is another fad meal plan that claims to help people lose weight fast with little effort. One of the newest fad meal plans, called the “blood-type diet,” claims to help people eat the “right” foods for their blood type so they can lose weight fast. A study done on this type of meal plan found no evidence to support the claims that such an eating style is better than others at helping people to lose weight. The best [...]]]>