Mood-Boosting Ingredients To Add To Your Diet

We’ve all been there – it reaches 3pm and we start to feel really low and grumpy if we don’t get our sugar fix. However, nutritionists would argue that it’s not the sugar we need to load up on, but rather brown rice and mung beans a few hours before to stave off the low mood. If you maintain a good blood sugar level throughout the afternoon, you won’t get that predictable slump when you reach the mid-afternoon snack stage. Researchers have found certain foods have the ability to alter our moods, stave off depression and improve our wellbeing, making us happier overall. Many people are depressed or anxious for seemingly no reason, but the answer could actually lie in their kitchen. It seems that we really are what we eat, especially when it comes to our mood. When used in conjunction with moderate exercise and a healthy diet overall, some foods can boost the levels of serotonin in the brain which helps us achieve a balanced mind and body. But even better than that is that some of these foods aren’t as boring as you may think – you can find some really delectable ingredients that will actually make you happier!

Fruit is first on the list and it comes as no surprise that this group of ingredients is good for our mood, being loaded with vitamins and minerals that our bodies just lap up. Studies have shown that eating between four and 11 bananas each week can improve our happiness, as they are rich in potassium and amino acids which trigger the body to make tryptophan. This is a feel good hormone that stimulates serotonin, for a balanced mood. Other fruits which are high in B vitamins and folate are blueberries, avocados and pineapples. Any foods that are high in B vitamins and folate are great for your mood, as they stimulate amino acids that create serotonin. Oily fish are also superfoods that are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids which lower the level of inflammation and help to rebuild the brain to create serotonin. Omega-3s are wonderful for developing good brain health and the more you eat, the less depressed you’ll become. As well as oily fish, such as salmon and tuna, you should add prawns and lobster to your diet, as these contain B vitamins, magnesium and zinc. Add to such meals a dose of legumes, which everybody should add to their diet. Loaded with protein, fibre and devoid of fat, they are great for cleaning up your intestines and providing your body with nutrients. Legumes such as kidney beans, bertolli beans and chickpeas are the best choice, as these help to balance your blood sugar levels which is vital for maintaining an even temper.

 

Basmati rice is a surprising addition, but did you know that the low glycaemic index of this starch doesn’t lead the blood sugar levels in your body to fluctuate, so you maintain an even sugar level. We all know that nuts are great as a snack food for providing the body with essential oils and fibre, but they also balance your mood – in particular, brazil nuts can provide selenium. Selenium is a micronutrient which combats thyroid dysfunction, a condition that promotes depression, fatigue and moodiness. Just three nuts a day can provide your daily dose of selenium. Dairy foods are an excellent source of vitamin D, B vitamins, zinc and magnesium, all of which encourage serotonin production, and cottage cheese is also high in amino acids to generate tryptophan. Lastly, chocolate is actually a health food! One small piece of dark chocolate a day can alleviate some symptoms of chocolate. However, gorging on chocolate as a comfort food will not work in this way – it needs to be high in cocoa and limited to one small square.

 

 

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Categories: amino acids, Blood Sugar, boosting ingredients, mood, mood boosting, oily fish, Sugar, sugar level, sugar levels

Breakthrough Diabetes Pill Could Be Available Within Months

Diabetes is a major health concern, with type 2 accounting for between 85 and 95% of all people with the disease. Type 2 diabetes, then, affects wellness in a big way, but a new pill looks set to change all that. The breakthrough treatment works to slash blood sugar levels and offers hope to the wellbeing millions of diabetes sufferers. And, if you’re thinking we’re talking about a “promising study” or “preliminary finding”, think again: the pill has now been launched in the UK.

 

 

According to wellness writer Jo Willey, ‘The breakthrough treatment is being unveiled at the same time that the drug watchdog has recommended it for use on the NHS. Experts say the drug, canagliflozin, which is taken once a day, is a vital new weapon in the battle against the Type 2 diabetes epidemic and its devastating complications. It reduces blood sugar levels in people for whom diet and lifestyle measures or other blood sugar-lowering medicines do not work well enough, say the manufacturers Janssen. The drug, also called Invokana, blocks the re-absorption of glucose in the kidneys, which is instead passed in the urine.’

 

Professor Anthony Barnett, Emeritus Professor of Medicine at the University of Birmingham, commented, ‘We are seeing a growing number of people with Type 2 diabetes which can have the extremely serious consequences of heart attack, stroke, blindness, kidney failure and amputations. Canagliflozin, which can offer patients significant reductions in blood sugar levels whilst not increasing risks of hypoglycaemia (low blood sugars), represents an important new option in the management of a major UK epidemic.’ The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice) has given the pill a preliminary positive recommendation, and so the medication could be available within months.

 

In the Nice draft guidance, canagliflozin was said to be “useful” and recommended for use by some NHS patients with Type 2 diabetes when used in combination with other anti-diabetic drugs. Professor Carole Longson, of Nice, pointed out that ‘Type 2 diabetes can be difficult to treat and most people will eventually require a number of drugs, often used simultaneously. Canagliflozin represents a useful addition to the armoury of anti-diabetic drugs available. Nice is pleased to be able to ­recommend its use for some people with Type 2 diabetes.’ Dr Peter Barnes, the medical director at Janssen UK, added, ‘With the relentless increase in Type 2 diabetes, there is an ongoing need for additional treatment options. Not only does canagliflozin provide a new once-a-day oral treatment to help control blood glucose levels, it offers real value to the NHS.’

 

When your wellbeing is affected by type 2 diabetes, this means that your sugar – glucose – levels in your blood have become too high. The chronic disease is associated with 24,000 excess deaths each year, mainly from cardiovascular disease. In the UK, 3.2 million people are diagnosed with diabetes, and type 2 accounts for between 85 and 95% of all people with the disease. Your body develops type 2 diabetes when it can no longer produce insulin, or when the insulin that your body does produced does not work properly.

 

Typically, type 2 diabetes is treated with a healthy diet, increased physical activity and medication, but this doesn’t always prove effective. The National Diabetes Audit found that more than one in three patients with Type 2 diabetes in England and Wales are currently failing to achieve recommended blood glucose levels. Simon O’Neill of Diabetes UK noted, ‘Developing new treatments that give people more choice about how to manage their condition effectively are really important and so we look forward to seeing the results of the Nice consultation.’

Categories: anti diabetic, Blood glucose, Blood Sugar, Blood Sugar Control, breakthrough treatment, canagliflozin, Diabetes, diabetic drugs, glucose levels, sugar levels, type, Type 2 Diabetes

Getting Ready for Surgery: How to Take Care of Your Body

Although the aim of surgery is to improve your wellness, it can be a health concern all of it’s own. Patient safety is always the top priority for surgeons or physician anesthesiologists involved in medical care, but to ensure your procedure goes as well as it can, you also need to take steps to care for your wellbeing. Important actions such as exercising and eating right in the weeks and months before surgery can help make the procedure as safe as possible, decrease your chances of complications and help you get back on your feet faster.

 

Dr. Jane C.K. Fitch, president of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), notes, ‘Surgery is usually the solution to a problem, whether to replace a painful knee or repair a hernia, but there are always risks. Physician anesthesiologists, surgeons and other medical specialists work with patients before, during and after surgery to help ensure a successful outcome. Patients can take control of their own health by having critical conversations with their physicians and getting healthy before surgery.’ So how can you get yourself in shape for surgery? Here are some top tips from the ASA:

 

1. Eat healthy: According to the ASA, ‘Adjusting your diet to include healthier choices in the weeks leading up to your surgery can help you become stronger and recover quicker. If you have a loss of appetite or recently lost weight without trying, be sure to tell your doctor, who might suggest you see a registered dietician. The dietician may prescribe a nutritional supplement to boost your immune system, help prevent infections and shorten your stay in the hospital.’

 

2. Stop smoking: The ASA explains, ‘Among the many reasons to kick the habit is that smoking and anaesthesia – which you’ll need during surgery – don’t mix. If you smoke, your heart and lungs are compromised and don’t function at full capacity. You are also far more likely to suffer breathing and lung-related complications during surgery and are more likely to need a ventilator after surgery. By quitting smoking before surgery, you’ll not only decrease the likelihood of these risks, but you’re also less likely to have a wound infection, heart attack or other complication.’

 

3. Better Your Breathing: ‘Taking deep breaths on a spirometer – a simple device that helps you exercise your lungs and improve their function – is a routine activity after most surgeries,’ the ASA asserts. ‘Doing these exercises before surgery can help strengthen your lungs so you’re less likely to develop pneumonia.’

 

4. Control your blood sugar: The ASA warns, ‘People with diabetes whose blood sugar (glucose) is not controlled, are more likely to suffer potentially fatal complications following surgery. If you have diabetes, make sure your blood sugar is controlled. If you don’t, your immune system may be weaker, making you more vulnerable to pneumonia and other infections. Controlling your blood sugar will help you heal faster and you’ll likely spend less time recovering in the hospital.’

 

5. Get Active: ‘If you exercise, keep it up, and if you don’t, try to responsibly increase your activity level in the weeks before surgery,’ suggests the ASA. ‘The sooner you begin to move around after surgery, the less likely you are to develop blood clots and pneumonia. Consider getting into an exercise programme – it can reduce complications and shorten hospital stays.’

 

6. Drink Less Alcohol: The ASA cautions, ‘People who have more than two alcoholic drinks a day are more likely to suffer complications after surgery than light drinkers and those who drink heavily are more than twice as likely to suffer complications that can result in death. Heavy drinkers are also much more likely to get an infection after surgery, have difficulty breathing, and be admitted to the intensive care unit than non-drinkers.’

Categories: Blood, Blood Sugar, complications, Healthy Eating, hospital nbsp, nbsp, physician anesthesiologists, Stop Smoking, suffer, suffer complications, surgery

How Can Your Weight Be Improved By Lingonberries?

New studies suggest that lingonberries could prevent weight gain and obesity-related diseases; in a study based on mice, researchers found that these berries helped to prevent obesity. The mice were genetically modified to become obese and develop features of obesity, and in the experiment the mice were fed a high fat diet for 13 weeks as a way of mimicking the fatty western diet. However, there were eight different groups of mice given eight different types of freeze-dried berry alongside the diet of fatty foods to see if the mice were affected in terms of weight gain. Two further control groups were given no berries, one of which ate the same high fat diet and another a low-fat diet. The final result was that all of the mice gained weight but the mice who were given the berries gained less weight. Lingonberries are a wild fruit popular in Scandinavia and, in studies, were the best at showing the lowest increase in body fat, cholesterol and blood sugar of all the high fat groups during the study. Naturally, as the study shows, the lingonberries aren’t an obesity cure which work on their own as a way to remove fat, but they could be an ingredient which could enable you to gain less weight as part of a healthy diet.

 

The research took place using six-week old mice who were engineered to develop obesity and pre-diabetes. The mice were split into 10 groups of 12 mice, and for 13 weeks they underwent the following:

- 8 groups were fed a high fat diet, where 45 per cent of their calories came from fat. This diet was supplemented with eight different freeze-dried berries which were freely available to them.

- 1 control group was fed a calorie-matched high fat diet without the berries.

- 1 control group was fed a low-fat diet, with 10 per cent of their calories from fat without the berries.

 

The body weight and food intake of the mice was monitored weekly, and at the end of the study the blood samples were assessed for sugar, insulin levels, cholesterol and other fats. The researchers also looked at bodily organs, including the spleen and liver, to see how much fat had built up. The energy intake was very much the same across all of the groups, with the exception of those eating blackcurrant and bilberries, who ate more food and calories. But the fasting blood sugar levels were much lower in the lingonberry and blackcurrant groups than the high fat controls. Both of these groups had glucose and insulin resistance levels similar to the mice in the low-fat diet group. Researchers believe that the lingonberries either fully or partially prevent the detrimental metabolic effects of a high fat diet – blackcurrants and bilberries had similar properties but weren’t as effective. The conclusion of the study was that the beneficial metabolic effects of the lingonberries could be helpful in preventing obesity and disorders related to being overweight. As part of a balanced diet and a regular exercise programme, lingonberries could help to maintain a healthy weight and prevent obesity-related disorders from developing. As with any diet, it’s important that you speak to your GP before undertaking any extreme changes to your dietary habits, as it could be detrimental to your health. But there has been no proof that adding lingonberries to your diet can do you any harm, so in moderation they could be the weight loss answer you’ve been looking for.

Categories: Blood Sugar, control group, diet, freeze dried, lingonberries, metabolic effects, Mice, new study, obesity related, prevent obesity, weight gain

The Smoking Sin: Why Diabetics Should Never Light Up

I think we can all agree that smoking isn’t good for anyone’s wellbeing, but if you also have diabetes, man, are you in trouble. Smoking when diabetic raises your blood sugar levels, and increases your risks for kidney damage, stroke, heart disease, nerve damage, and foot problems as much as 10 times. Here are eight reasons why, if you have diabetes, smoking is a major health concern:

 

1. Diabetic neuropathy or nerve damage. Smoking adversely affects your blood circulation, and this deprives your nerve endings of essential nutrients. Nerve damage makes you more susceptible to sores and infections which could even lead to amputation. Sure, smoking’s cool, but is it worth losing a foot?

 

2. Heart attacks and stokes. As smoking wreaks havoc on your sugar levels, your blood vessels will become damaged and cause strokes and heart attacks. You’re also at an increased risk of heart damage because smoking lowers your levels of good cholesterol, causes more blood clots to form, raises your blood pressure and reduces the amount of oxygen that is supplied to your vital organs.

 

3. Kidney damage. Again, smoking raises your blood sugar levels, having a negative impact on your kidneys’ microcirculation. This damages cells which are intrinsic to kidney health, causing albuminuria (high levels of blood protein in your urine) and and kidney or renal failure.

 

4. Eye damage. Smoking doubles your risk of diabetic retinopathy and blindness in the future.

 

5. Oral damage. Smoking when you have diabetes increases your risk of mouth sores.

 

6. Worsening of your diabetes. Not only does smoking cause your blood glucose levels to fluctuate dramatically, but it also increases your resistance to insulin. In other words, smoking makes your diabetes worse.

 

7. Joint damage. If you have diabetes, smoking can seriously limit your mobility, and even cause extreme pain in your joints. This can obviously have a negative impact on your quality of life.

 

No one is saying that it’s easy to quit smoking, or that it’s only a health concern for people with diabetes. However, if one or more of the above health risks could affect you, wouldn’t you want to do everything you can to prevent it from happening? Contact your doctor or look online for help quitting smoking.

Categories: Blood, Blood Sugar, Diabetes, diabetes smoking, health concern, Health Damage, heart attacks, nbsp, negative impact, Smoking, sugar levels

Why Cutting Carbs at Night Can Help You Build Muscle

Building your muscles gets harder and harder when you enter your 30s, as your levels of testosterone and growth hormone naturally start to decline. However, this problem gets even worse if you have a high amount of sugar in your diet. Manhattan endocrinologist Florence Comite, MD, author of Keep It Up: The Power of Precision Medicine to Conquer Low T and Revitalize Your Life, explains, ‘High blood sugar can compound that problem by hampering the production of both hormones and triggering fat storage. In fact, something as seemingly benign as having a cookie or a couple handfuls of chips late in the evening can undermine your efforts to build muscle.’

 

According to Comite, ‘Sleep is when your body does most self-restoration. Crucial to this process are human growth hormone (HGH) and insulin growth factor (IGF-1), which are typically produced at night. IGF-1 is triggered by the presence of HGH and is released by the liver and skeletal muscles to help build and repair tissues. Unfortunately, IGF-1 shares the same receptor sites as insulin, the peptide hormone that regulates carbohydrate and fat metabolism. When insulin is present because you’ve indulged in a high-carb snack before bed, IGF-1 is pushed aside. Eating carbohydrates at night hampers the muscle-repair process because insulin levels increase, preventing IGF-1 from binding to receptor sites.’

 

Therefore, if you avoid eating carbs after your evening meal and try consuming smaller meals low in high-glycemic carbs throughout the day, you may be able to get your muscle wellness back on track. However, if you really want to build muscle, you need a few more tricks up your sleeve:

 

1. Eat Plenty of Protein: ‘Protein provides the raw material needed to repair your daily tissue damage, not just your muscles after a workout,’ says Comite. ‘For example, your body replaces blood cells every 100 days or so. That’s a lot of cell turnover, and almost every system in your body is constantly renewing itself. You need to fuel that repair and renewal process by eating protein throughout the day. As a bonus, eating protein also helps you burn more calories because it takes more energy to metabolize protein than carbs (sugar) or fat.’

 

2. Eat it Early: Comite asserts, ‘I recommend this to almost every patient: Start each day with a protein-rich breakfast. It sets you up right. If you eat within 30 to 60 minutes of waking, you signal the body to start burning energy.’

 

3. Fill Up On Fibre: ‘Fibre, like protein and fat, helps you feel full, takes longer to digest, and slows the absorption of sugar into the bloodstream,’ notes Comite. ‘It also helps maintain digestive health and lower cholesterol. The daily recommendation is around 25 grams of fibre. Eating lots of vegetables will help you get there. Other high-fibre foods are apples, beans, and nuts. Grains like oatmeal (steel-cut is best) and quinoa are also good.’

 

4. Avoid Alcohol: Comite advises, ‘Cutting back or completely eliminating alcohol is one of the most effective ways to lose weight and improve your blood sugar levels. Think about it: Beer has one of the highest glycemic values of any beverage—a double shot of sugar from alcohol plus carbs. Wine, too, is very high in carbohydrates. Having one or two glasses of wine a couple of nights a week is generally not a problem.

 

5. Invest In Your Index: Your glycaemic index (GI) is ‘one of the best tools for combating diabetes (and losing weight),’ Comite points out. ‘This measure indicates how a typical serving of a certain food will raise your blood sugar.’

Categories: Blood Sugar, Build Muscle, comite, cutting carbs, eating protein, growth hormone, late night eating, muscle building, nbsp, Protein, receptor sites, Sugar

Mood-Boosting Ingredients To Add To Your Diet

We’ve all been there – it reaches 3pm and we start to feel really low and grumpy if we don’t get our sugar fix. However, nutritionists would argue that it’s not the sugar we need to load up on, but rather brown rice and mung beans a few hours before to stave off the low mood. If you maintain a good blood sugar level throughout the afternoon, you won’t get that predictable slump when you reach the mid-afternoon snack stage. Researchers have found certain foods have the ability to alter our moods, stave off depression and improve our wellbeing, making us happier overall. Many people are depressed or anxious for seemingly no reason, but the answer could actually lie in their kitchen. It seems that we really are what we eat, especially when it comes to our mood. When used in conjunction with moderate exercise and a healthy diet overall, some foods can boost the levels of serotonin in the brain which helps us achieve a balanced mind and body. But even better than that is that some of these foods aren’t as boring as you may think – you can find some really delectable ingredients that will actually make you happier!

Fruit is first on the list and it comes as no surprise that this group of ingredients is good for our mood, being loaded with vitamins and minerals that our bodies just lap up. Studies have shown that eating between four and 11 bananas each week can improve our happiness, as they are rich in potassium and amino acids which trigger the body to make tryptophan. This is a feel good hormone that stimulates serotonin, for a balanced mood. Other fruits which are high in B vitamins and folate are blueberries, avocados and pineapples. Any foods that are high in B vitamins and folate are great for your mood, as they stimulate amino acids that create serotonin. Oily fish are also superfoods that are loaded with omega-3 fatty acids which lower the level of inflammation and help to rebuild the brain to create serotonin. Omega-3s are wonderful for developing good brain health and the more you eat, the less depressed you’ll become. As well as oily fish, such as salmon and tuna, you should add prawns and lobster to your diet, as these contain B vitamins, magnesium and zinc. Add to such meals a dose of legumes, which everybody should add to their diet. Loaded with protein, fibre and devoid of fat, they are great for cleaning up your intestines and providing your body with nutrients. Legumes such as kidney beans, bertolli beans and chickpeas are the best choice, as these help to balance your blood sugar levels which is vital for maintaining an even temper.

 

Basmati rice is a surprising addition, but did you know that the low glycaemic index of this starch doesn’t lead the blood sugar levels in your body to fluctuate, so you maintain an even sugar level. We all know that nuts are great as a snack food for providing the body with essential oils and fibre, but they also balance your mood – in particular, brazil nuts can provide selenium. Selenium is a micronutrient which combats thyroid dysfunction, a condition that promotes depression, fatigue and moodiness. Just three nuts a day can provide your daily dose of selenium. Dairy foods are an excellent source of vitamin D, B vitamins, zinc and magnesium, all of which encourage serotonin production, and cottage cheese is also high in amino acids to generate tryptophan. Lastly, chocolate is actually a health food! One small piece of dark chocolate a day can alleviate some symptoms of chocolate. However, gorging on chocolate as a comfort food will not work in this way – it needs to be high in cocoa and limited to one small square.

Categories: amino acids, Blood Sugar, body, Food, foods, hormones, mood, oily fish, Sugar, sugar level, sugar levels

Workaholic Wellness: How to Take Care of Yourself

When you’re a workaholic, corporate wellness becomes essential. Spending the majority of your time in the office means that your wellbeing often takes a back seat, especially with regards to your weight loss wellness. In fact, researchers at Kansas State University, who looked at workaholics who logged 50-plus office hours a week, found that these individuals skipped meals more often, had worse overall diets and experienced more mood problems than those who worked less. Sometimes cutting back your hours isn’t an option – whether due to the demands of your job or your own workaholic personality – so how do you eat and live healthily while still giving your all to the job you love?

 

1. Keep healthy foods within reach: According to nutritionist Elisa Zied, author of the upcoming book, Younger Next Week, the best snacks to have on your desk should contain a mix of protein plus produce or whole grains. Zied explains, ‘This combination of protein and fibre is filling, helps steady blood sugar and provides many other key nutrients to help your body and brain perform optimally.’ Try some wholegrain crisps with hummus, some fresh fruit and yoghurt or dried fruit mixed with nuts and whole grain cereal.

 

2. Drink plenty of water: If you’re going to be “on it” in the office, you need to drink plenty of H2O. Not only will it keep you hydrated and your brain in good working order, but guzzling down water will force you to get up and go to the loo several times a day, which will save you from sitting down for too long. Pamela Peeke, MD, assistant clinical professor of medicine at the University of Maryland and author of Body for Life for Women, comments, ‘When you’re inactive, your metabolism glacierizes. You cool down, important enzyme systems slow down significantly, and this leaves you with an inability to efficiently process blood glucose and cholesterol. Thus, blood sugar and lipids rise.’ Therefore, you need to find every excuse to stand up and move around.

 

3. Use SPF: The best skincare advice going is that you should wear sun cream every day – regardless of the weather or whether or not you’re going outside. However, failing that (because, let’s be honest, you’re likely to forget to wear sun cream every day) you should make sure your foundation and/or moisturiser contains SPF – that way, you’re always covered, literally!

 

4. Eat off smaller plates: Zied points out, ‘Eating off smaller plates can help you eat less. For one, you can’t put as much food on a smaller plate as you can on a bigger one. Also, you may eat less quickly because you’ll have less food. Think about when your tube of toothpaste or shampoo bottle are near empty, you use less and try to conserve. Using smaller utensils, cups and bowls can also help you naturally eat less, too.’

 

5. Put a nature scene as your desktop background: ‘Research shows that connecting with nature in any way soothes you and brings the stress hormone cortisol down to a more functional level,’ Dr. Peeke notes. ‘There is a deeply spiritual element, which is a humbling moment, when we see the grandeur and majesty of nature and realise the small part we play.’

 

6. Make breakfast – not dinner – your big meal of the day: ‘Having a big breakfast tells your body that you’re not starving after an overnight fast,’ says Zied. ‘And as a bonus, a nutrient-rich breakfast sets you up to be alert, productive and focused, and helps your body and brain perform optimally.’

Categories: Blood Sugar, brain perform, drink plenty, nbsp, perform optimally, smaller plates, spf, Sun Cream, wear sun, Workaholic, zied

Is Low Blood Sugar Making You Gain Weight?

Most people are aware of the risks of diabetes, but few are as educated on the dangers of low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia to give it its medical name. In a more serious form, hypoglycemia can lead to seizures and unconsciousness, as well as weight gain and obesity. It is more frequently seen as a side effect of diabetes, and occurs after aggressive insulin treatments which push the blood glucose levels a little too low. Because your blood sugar levels are connected to what you eat, finding and maintaining your glucose levels isn’t an exact science. There will be fluctuations, naturally, which makes treatment early on quite difficult. When your diet has been modified and other lifestyle factors have been considered, such as weight and exercise, then treatment can be considered more thoroughly.

Hypoglycemia can occur in people without diabetes as well though, occurring in conjunction with certain types of cancer, due to hormonal imbalances, during pregnancy, as a result of too much alcohol, and after vigorous exercise. It can also be caused by endocrine, renal and liver disorders. There isn’t an anti-insulin treatment for this problem, which means that hypoglycemia can only be solved by managing your diet and getting plenty of exercise. In fact, resolving your obesity and managing hypoglycemia go hand in hand. In normal people, blood sugar levels range between 70 – 80mcg per 100cc of blood before eating, which rises to around 120 – 140mcg in the hour following a meal. When your body is at the lowest ebb, the body becomes hungry; when it’s at its peak, it enables the pancreas to release insulin which prevents blood sugar levels from rising any higher.

The body gets its energy from glucose or blood sugar, and a certain level of glucose is necessary for the body to function every day. The brain needs a steady supply of glucose to function properly, which is why a person with hypoglycemia will experience confusing abnormal behaviours, blurred vision or dizziness. Exercise is a challenge or impossible with someone who has hypoglycemia as this only depletes your energy supplies. This means that your diet has the job of controlling both your weight and low blood glucose levels.

There are some important things to remember when you have hypoglycemia. Firstly, high-sugar is not a solution for your problem. When your body is loaded with high sugar treats, it launches an insulin attack to bring the glucose levels down. However, in a hypoglycemic, those levels are already at an all-time high so this simply leads to the pancreas going into overdrive. It’s actually better to do the opposite and cut out processed sugars completely. Stick to complex carbs, whole grains and vegetables which gradually release their glucose content over time which helps to balance the levels in the body. The problem lies in that hypoglycemics crave sugary foods, as the body knows it needs glucose to survive so it sends signals to get the highest concentrate of what it needs. Unfortunately, cookies and cakes cause the blood sugar levels to spike too high. This results in the pancreas responding with a powerful surge of activity, and the cycle quickly flips the body’s balance upside down. This constant seesaw action can cause a vicious cycle of feeding the body what it doesn’t need. If you’re worried you have a problem with your low blood sugar levels, speak to your GP who can advise if you need treatment.

Categories: Blood, Blood glucose, Blood Sugar, body, diet, glucose levels, high sugar, hypoglycemia, levels, Sugar, sugar levels

Coping With Hot Flashes, Cold Chills and Diabetes

There are various reasons for hot flashes and cold chills, ranging from problems with your wellness and wellbeing in a medical sense, to menopause to anxiety attacks and having a high temperature. Diabetes, too, can cause hot, sweaty flashes followed by chills, if your blood sugar drops too low.

 

What you may not know, however, is that you can use your weight loss and fitness regime to help fight against both hot flashes and cold chills, no matter what the cause is.

 

Aerobic exercise is particularly good, especially for those who have diabetes, as it can help decrease your risk of developing heart disease – a common side effect of diabetes. Aerobic exercise helps to maintain a healthy weight and can help to increase your sensitivity to insulin.

 

If you are a diabetic, try checking your sugar levels before and after a workout, so that you can see how beneficial exercise is on your system. Aerobic exercise includes anything where you work up a bit of a sweat and get your heart racing.

 

You should aim for low impact exercise if you have diabetes, however, as a side effect of your disease means that you have reduced blood flow to your extremities and this can be problematic. If you do an exercise that involves pounding or pressure, it can lead to diabetes-related problems with the nerve endings in your feet. If you do suffer from any tingling or numbness in your feet, check regularly for any unexplained bruising on your feet and go and visit your doctor. Low-impact exercises can involve swimming, cycling or rowing or some simple chair exercises.

 

Make sure that you don’t take any form of exercise if your blood sugar is over 300 mg/dl, as exercise should be started slowly and gradually to help reduce the chances of hot flashes or cold chills.

Categories: Aerobic Exercise, Blood Sugar, chills, Diabetes, exercise, flashes, hot flashes, nbsp

Apple Cider Vinegar: The Gateway to Good Health?

Apple cider vinegar has been touted as being beneficial to a number of health problems, from digestion to metabolic disorders. Amazingly, this kitchen store cupboard ingredient can work wonders on your body and health, improving your wellbeing in the process. Doctors have confirmed that you can’t use apple cider vinegar for just any purpose, it can’t actually hurt you and it could be beneficial for some problems. So how can it help? Here are some of the top uses for apple cider vinegar that you may benefit from.

Lowering blood sugar

One of the most researched uses for apple cider vinegar is its use against blood pressure, with many studies proving that it can help to lower high blood pressure when used as a dietary aid. In fact, studies have shown that it can lower blood sugar by as much as 4 to 6 percent in the morning, when taken before meals. Take two tablespoons and wash it down with some water or juice to remove the taste. The you just eat as you normally would. The belief behind this is that apple cider vinegar contains chromium which can affect your insulin levels, which in turn affect your blood sugar levels. Of course, if you suffer with high blood sugar levels you should speak to your GP before trying to self medicate with apple cider vinegar.

Aids digestion

Stomach acid and digestion are connected, and most people don’t make enough of stomach acid – apple cider vinegar can help to balance stomach acid in a healthy way, helping to improve digestion when taken with a meal. This could well help to allow more nutrition to be absorbed from your diet as well.

Assists weight loss

There have been numerous studies to suggest that weight loss and vinegar could be connected, many specifically using apple cider vinegar. While these studies haven’t found any conclusive evidence to support weight loss with consuming vinegar, participants were compelled to consume fewer calories when they’d taken it. Over a period of time, this could benefit weight loss. Of course, as with any weight loss plan, you should top up your efforts with a healthy diet and exercise – the vinegar should be used as an addition to your diet, rather than a cure for all negative habits.

Benefits to acid reflux

It may seem counter-productive to use acid to combat acid reflux, but it does actually work! We are so used to taking antacids or using creamy substances to deal with acid in the throat that we don’t think of using anything else, but apple cider vinegar could really help. With just a few minutes, you’ll notice that the acidic burning sensation dissipates and your symptoms are gone. It’s also a lot cheaper than buying costly medications to combat it. You simply need to take a few tablespoons and wash it down with a glass of water, then wait and allow the acid to dissolve.

As with any new addition to your diet, you should speak to your GP before taking anything. Although there have been many studies as to the benefit of apple cider vinegar, there have been no conclusive results to ascertain how effective it can be. There can be some benefit to this humble ingredient though, which you should try if you’re suffering with any of the above afflictions. Naturally, if you don’t see results from these remedies and are still suffering with your symptoms, you should seek further advice from your GP in order to resolve the issue.

Categories: acid reflux, apple cider, apple cider vinegar, blood pressure, Blood Sugar, cider vinegar, diet, health concerns, high blood, stomach acid, sugar levels, Weight Loss

What Foods Have the Best Anti-Inflammatory Properties?

Not many people know this, but there are all kinds of food that you can naturally include in your diet that have anti-inflammatory properties. If you have some kind of condition that affects your wellness in terms of inflammation, such as arthritis, then including these foods in your diet can make a significant difference to your wellbeing.

Inflammation is generally a natural response to any kind of injury, infection or irritation. Chronic inflammation, on the other hand, can come from a number of other sources, such as excessive weight gain or eating the wrong kinds of food. The fatty tissue that we have in our bodies when we are overweight can secrete hormones and chemicals that cause inflammation, and foods that raise our blood sugar levels can also contribute to inflammation. Therefore, in order to reduce inflammation, there are foods that you should avoid as well as foods that you should actively eat. Foods that you should avoid include anything that is high up the glycaemic index, such as saturated fats and refined white flours. Avoid any kind of junk food or high sugar food.

Foods that you should actively include in your diet include anything that contains omega-3 fatty acids. These help reduce inflammation and can be found in certain fish such as mackerel, salmon, herring, sardines, trout and anchovies, as well as fortified eggs, walnuts, seaweed, flaxseeds and soya beans. You can also take omega 3 in fish oil supplements.

Olive oil is full of mono saturated fats which are great at lowering the blood sugars, which helps to prevent the heart and blood vessels falling victim to inflammation.

Garlic is also a great anti-inflammatory as it helps to regulate your blood sugar levels and it fights against infection. Fresh garlic can be used in most foods, but you can also purchase garlic supplements.

 

Categories: anti-inflammatory, Blood, Blood Sugar, Food, foods, Inflammation, inflammatory properties, reduce inflammation, saturated fats, sugar levels

Mood Boosters: Why Caffeine, Carbs and Fat are Good for You

When you’re stressed out or feeling grouchy, you find yourself reaching for a sugary snack to give you an emotional wellness a boost. However, you know all-too-well that your feeling of wellbeing won’t last long, and will be replaced by the inevitable blood-sugar crash, with added irritability to boot. The problem with many foods in the Western diet is that they set you up for depression, anxiety, and mood swings. However, the good news is there are also plenty of foods to boost your mood, energy and performance. According to Drew Ramsey, MD, co-author of The Happiness Diet, ‘Food choices that you make every day influence your brain’s ability to grow and heal. The foundation of good mental health is good wholesome food.’ So, which foods can do the trick?

 

1. Caffeine: There’s something soothing about your morning cup of coffee, and a 2011 study from the Harvard School of Public Health has proven it. The results of the research revealed that if you drink at least two cups of coffee regularly, your risk of depression is 15% lower than women who don’t drink coffee – and your risk decreases by 20% if you plump for four or more cups. This is possibly because caffeine triggers your brain to release dopamine, which sharpens your focus and improves your outlook. Dr. Ramsey adds, ‘Coffee also contains plant-based nutrients that function much like a class of drugs that are used to treat depression.’ However, caffeine doesn’t affect everyone the same way, so cut back if you start to get the jitters or sleep poorly.

 

2. Fat: Because fat slows digestion, it gives you an unparalleled a calming, blood-sugar-evening effect. This is especially the case with omega-3 fatty acids, as a recent study found. The researchers asserted that eating two meals containing seafood per week can lower your rate of depression, anxiety and other mood disorders. This is possibly due to the fact that omega-3s maintain function in the areas of your brain that are responsible for regulating mood and emotion. However, Mary Morreale, MD, a psychiatrist at Wayne State University School of Medicine in Detroit, laments that, over the last 150 years, ‘we’ve greatly minimized the amount of omega-3s in our diet.’ It is the recommendation of the American Psychiatric Association that you eat two to three servings of oily fish a week. Other good sources of omega-3s are avocados, nuts and grass-fed beef, chicken and pork.

 

3. Carbs: Sure, carbs aren’t the best thing if you’re trying to lose weight, but they can seriously help with the mid-afternoon slump. Former director of MIT’s Clinical Research Centre in Women’s Health Judith Wurtman, PhD, co-author of The Serotonin Power Diet, explains you start to get cravings in the afternoon ‘thanks to a drop in the feel-good brain chemical serotonin, which can lead to that 4 o’clock mood slump some of us experience every afternoon.’ However, if you have a small snack that containing 25 to 30g of carbs, ‘it’s a small caloric expense to pay for feeling good,’ says Wurtman.

 

4. Tryptophan: Susan Bowerman, RD, assistant director of UCLA’s Centre for Human Nutrition, comments, ‘In order to make serotonin, you need tryptophan, an amino acid that your body can’t produce on its own, so it must be obtained from food.’ These include sources such as poultry, beef, eggs and nuts.

 

5. B Vitamins: Instead of making your lunchtime salad with boring, old romaine lettuce, switch to spinach for a better boost of the B vitamin folate. Dr Ramsey notes, ‘Higher concentrations of folate in the blood are linked to a decrease in negative mood, clinical depression and fuzzy thinking.’

Categories: Blood Sugar, Brain, caffeine, Coffee, depression, depression anxiety, dr ramsey, fats, mood, nbsp, omega 3s

Coping With Diabetes:5 Tips That Will Make Life More Comfortable

Diabetes is a condition that affects 18.2 million people in America. It can lead to life-threatening complications, but fortunately, you can prevent complications by managing this condition. Below are some tips that will help you manage your diabetes:

 

Eat Healthy Foods

Eating healthy will make it a lot easier for you to keep your blood sugar within the target range. You should talk to your health care provider about the right meal plan for you. However, health care providers typically recommend that diabetics follow a diet that is filled with vegetables, fruits, whole grains and low in salt, sugar and saturated fat.

 

Exercise

Exercise helps lower your blood sugar. It also helps increase your body’s sensitivity to insulin. You should try to exercise for 30 minutes per day most days out of the week. Keep in mind that daily activities, such as gardening or housework, can also help lower your blood sugar.

 

Monitor Your Blood Sugar Frequently

One of the keys to preventing complications is to keep your blood sugar as close to the normal range as possible. That is why it is important for you to monitor your blood sugar throughout the day. You will need to check your blood sugar when you get up in the morning, before and after meals and before and after you exercise. You should also check your blood sugar before and after you take your medication and/or insulin.

 

Wear the Right Socks

Taking care of your feet will prevent them from becoming injured or infected. Did you know that you an buy special socks for diabetics? Diabetic socks like those at HJ Sock Group help improve blood circulation and keep the feet dry. You’ll also want to pair your socks with a comfortable shoe that doesn’t squeeze or rub your foot.

 

Keep Your Stress Level Down

Stress is an inevitable part of life, but you should try to keep your stress level as low as possible. Stress can cause your blood sugar level to rise. It can also weaken your immune system. Reading, going for a walk and meditating are some of the ways that you can manage your stress.

 

Brush And Floss Every Day

You are more prone to gum disease if you have diabetes. You are also more likely to develop diabetic complications if you have gum disease. That is why you want to make sure that you brush and floss regularly so that you can avoid problems with your gums, teeth and mouth. Dentists recommend that patients come for checkups every six months which is especially important if you have diabetes so you can monitor your oral health and resolve any problems that may arise.

 

Living with diabetes can be hard, but there are things that can be done to make it easier. Of course if your doctor has prescribed you any medications or insulin, you will want to follow the recommended doses on those. In addition to your medical routines, keep in mind the healthy habits listed so that you can avoid complications and live a comfortable life.

Categories: Blood, Blood Sugar, complications, Coping, Diabetes, Gum Disease, health care, life, nbsp, stress level, Sugar

How to Take Care of Your Diet without Breaking the Bank

You want to enhance your diet and start taking care of your wellbeing, but healthy foods are so often the most expensive option. Why should you have to choose between your health and your financial wellness? According to a recent study by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), eating healthily can be fairly cheap – it just depends on the choices you make.

 

1. Fresh fruits and vegetables: ‘Fruits and vegetables pack a powerful nutrition punch,’ says registered and licensed dietician Mandy Seay, author of Your Best Health. ‘They contain a variety of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that provide benefits for the entire body.’ This means that you need to go for the least pricey produce, which, in the case of vegetables, means potatoes, lettuce, eggplant, greens, summer squash, tomatillos, and carrots. For the most economical fruits, try watermelon, bananas, apples, pears, pineapple, and peaches. To further reduce your costs while maximising on nutrition and flavour, make sure you shop for produce that is in season.

 

2. Frozen and tinned fruits and vegetables: While you may not even deign to consider frozen and tinned fruits and vegetables, they’re a lot better than their reputation. According to Seay, ‘While given a reputation of having a lesser nutrient value, canned fruits and vegetables can be just as healthy and economical (if not more so) as their fresh counterparts.’

 

3. Oats: On the nutrition rockstar stage, oats are the headliners. Seay notes, ‘These whole grains are low in calories, high in fibre and protein, and are a rich source of many vitamins, minerals, and beneficial plant chemicals. Oats offer protection against disease and reduce health issues that may already exist like high cholesterol or blood sugar. Oats are readily available, easy to incorporate into your diet, and inexpensive.’

 

4. Beans: If you want a low-fat protein, make beans your new best friends. These delicious and economical wonders – whether dried or canned – can have a huge impact on your wellbeing. Beans can help to lower your cholesterol, reduce your risks of heart disease and cancer, stabilise your blood sugar, relieve your constipation, assist with your weight management or weight loss programme and lower your blood pressure. Where have you bean all my life? (Sorry, I had to.)

 

5. Tea: As if you needed another reason to have a brew! Still, if you’re interested, when it comes to your health this low-cost beverage is worth every penny. Seay comments that tea ‘helps lower blood pressure, prevent cancer, and reduce the risk for stroke. Tea is also an antiviral, anti-cavity, and anti-allergy powerhouse.’

 

6. Nuts: ‘Nuts reduce the risks for coronary heart disease, diabetes, cancer, and many other causes of mortality,’ Seay asserts. ‘All nuts contain some sort of health-promoting property. Eat a variety of them to enjoy all of the nutrition they have to offer. Here are just a few things you’ll find inside them: plant-derived omega-3s fatty acids, fibre, protein, vitamin D, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, niacin, folate, zinc, and antioxidants.’ Plus, they’re great value per serving.

 

7. Yoghurt: Yoghurt is a cheap sweet option anyway – albeit dependant on flavour and brand –but if you really want to save money you can always make your own yoghurt at home. Seay adds, ‘Yoghurt contains live active cultures, protein, calcium, and B vitamins. This super food has anticancer properties, lowers cholesterol, and wards off unfriendly bacteria while promoting and preserving intestinal health.’

 

8. Brown rice: ‘Brown rice, which contains a number of nutrients and antioxidants, is a whole grain that has been shown to reduce diabetes risks, assist with weight control, help lower and control blood sugar, and possibly inhibit breast and colon cancers,’ says Seay.

Categories: blood pressure, Blood Sugar, Brown Rice, Fruits, heart disease, nbsp, seay, tea, tinned fruits, vitamins minerals, yoghurt

Got Diabetes? Eat Some Beans

It is well known that beans are good for us. They can be a very important and nutritious aspect of your healthy diet – this is a commonly known fact by nutritionists and dieticians. So it might not come as surprise when you’re told that beans can actually help you with a number of medical conditions. But perhaps one that you might not expect for them to be useful in is diabetes. However, as it turns munching on more lentils, pulses, legumes and beans can be extremely helpful in lowering blood pressure and your blood sugar levels – this is clearly something that can be very helpful if you’re worried about the prospect of diabetes.

 

According to a report by a team of Canadian researchers, people who suffer from type 2 diabetes can see a vast improvement in their levels of blood sugar and blood pressure if they are able to add more beans and other legumes into their diet. It’s certainly true that legumes such as chickpeas, lentils and beans are high in protein and fibre and as such can be very beneficial when it comes to improving the health of your heart. If you’re someone who suffers from diabetes or feels that their diet might lead them to potential get the condition, it may well be worth taking the advice of this study and doing everything you can to get a few more of them into your body.

 

“Legumes, which we always thought were good for the heart, actually are good for the heart in ways we didn’t expect,” said Dr David Jenkins, who was the lead researcher on the project. He continued that among diabetics “not only did their glucose control become better, but – and this surprised us –it had a significant effect on blood pressure”.

 

Exactly why the beans and legumes were able to have such a positive effect is not yet known, according to the authors of the study. However, it is highly likely to have something to do with the high levels of protein, fibre and minerals that they contain, which is naturally good for your health anyway and is having a knock-on effect. Indeed, the authors were keen to note that it’s a very good idea to add more legumes into your diet as soon as possible.

 

“They will do well for you,” Dr Jenkins continued “they will help you keep your blood pressure down and your blood glucose under control, and help you keep your cholesterol down”. Clearly then, it’s a very good thing to be eating plenty of legumes. And the fantastic thing about them is that there are so many ways that you can add more of them to your diet – they are so versatile they can used with almost anything.

 

We all know the humble baked bean, but maybe you’ve never considered it to be a health food before! Well, now you can. There are, of course, many other options if you are looking for different methods of getting more legumes into your diet. Chickpeas and any derivative of chickpeas such as dips like houmous, are another great way to eat more of them. Equally you could start eating more lentils, this could come in the form of a bake or added to a casserole to add a little extra bite. Lentils are also well known to mix with curry spices, so perhaps you’d like to try this. Overall, legumes should be considered something that is very good to get into your diet especially if you are a sufferer or potential sufferer from diabetes.

Categories: Beans, Blood, blood pressure, Blood Sugar, Diabetes, diet, Legumes, lentils

How to Lose Weight without Going on a Diet – Seriously!

Urgh, dieting – is there are more heinous word in the English language? Just the word itself makes you want to run away screaming and dive into a pile of chips, so how on earth do you actually do it? Now that I think about it, do you even need to diet? In fact, it is possible to lose weight or maintain your weight without actually following a diet plan or depriving yourself of anything you truly want to eat – score.

 

Before we get started, at no point am I going to tell you to take pills, cut out foods or actually get on a diet plan. We’re looking at practical advice that can help you to be the weight you want to be and take care of your wellbeing, without “going on a diet” or even exercising, so to speak. The dirty little secret of weight management is you don’t have to starve yourself or exercise hours a day to achieve it. There, I’ve said it. Here are the tried-and-tested tips which, if you actually follow them, do help you to lose or maintain your weight goals.

 

1. Keep your blood sugar level balanced – by snacking: Although your mum always said it would spoil your dinner, snacking is absolutely essential for weight loss and maintenance, as well as your overall wellness. Letting your blood sugar level to rise and dip is the underlying culprit in daytime grogginess, hunger pangs and cravings. To keep your blood sugar level at a low and stable level, you need to eat several small meals a day – say five to seven – instead of two or three large ones. You should aim to consume 300-500 calories in each meal, compared to the average meal of about 1200 calories.

 

2. Eat whatever you want: I bet you didn’t expect to read that! Depriving yourself of the things you want to eat means that you will really feel that lack, and your brain will begin craving that item even more. That food you won’t let yourself have becomes forbidden fruit (well, let’s be honest, forbidden cake) and soon that treat temptation will be too much to bear, and you’ll give in and overindulge. The key here is to limit the amount of the food, rather than eliminate it altogether. If chocolate is your secret love then have a couple of squares – that’s fine! Just don’t eat a family-sized bar in one sitting. A slice of pie? Sure. The whole thing? Perhaps not. As with all things in life and wellness, everything in moderation.

 

3. Eat slowly and chew your food: When you ingest food, it takes about 20 minutes for your body to realise and register that feeling of fullness. That means if you wolf down your dinner, you’ll be reaching for dessert before your stomach has even dealt with the pre-dinner nibbles. Slow down and give your body time to register the food is there by taking small bites and making the meal last at least 20 minutes, as it should.

 

4. Mix up your tastes and textures: Weight management is a psychological game; you trick your body into doing what you want it to do by making the brain think you’ve given it what you’ve conditioned yourself to believe you need. Human beings are creatures of habit, making patterns and associations until food becomes a routine you don’t even think about. Doing something outside that routine, however, registers in your brain in a different way, making it stand out. Therefore, by eating a variety of foods – especially tastes and textures you’ve never tried before – your brain will register you have eaten more foods and will reduce hunger and cravings.

Categories: Blood Sugar, diet, Eat Slowly, Food, level, Lose weight, nbsp, sugar level, Variety, weight, Weight Management

Could Using Diet Pills Help to Reduce Your Body Weight?

When it comes to losing weight, you may be finding that a low fat diet combined with fitness is not working for you as quickly as you would like it to, and your mind starts to turn towards diet pills. But how much do you really know about these diet pills, and could they be damaging for your wellness and wellbeing?

 

Drug companies have recently had to re-think the way that they make diet pills, as one of their main ingredients – ephedra – was removed from the market. They have been under pressure to come up with another natural supplement to help boost weight loss, and one of the things that they have come up with is a way to help weight loss by reducing the levels of cortisol in the body and balancing the blood sugar.

 

Cortisol is a hormone that is released by the adrenal glands during times of extreme stress. Many people in today’s fast-paced world find them releasing a great deal of this hormone! It is an important hormone for health, but too much of it can be bad for you. High levels of cortisol increase your appetite, and especially for carbohydrates and sugar (which go straight to your waist and set up camp there). It also contributes to bone loss, short term memory loss and can be damaging to your immune system.

 

A new generation of diet pills is now becoming available which help you to reduce these cortisol levels (something that you can also do by reducing your stress, exercising and getting plenty of sleep). These pills use the extract of magnolia bark, which is often used in Chinese medicine for a variety of purposes, including weight loss. The pills also contain other important vitamins to help you relax, and to balance your blood sugar.

Categories: Blood Sugar, cortisol, diet, diet pills, loss, Pills, weight, Weight Loss

The Hidden Culprits: Why You Keep Getting Yeast Infections

Isn’t it just sod’s law that you first become aware of sexual health issues when you’re out and about? It’s often when you’re in a meeting or out running errands that you suddenly experience an uncontrollable itch…down there…and you know exactly what your wellness has been affected by: a dreaded yeast infection. Gynaecologist Rebecca Booth, MD, co-founder of the VENeffect skincare line, explains, ‘Wherever there is sugar or carbohydrates (which the body has), the yeast will feed on that. We don’t ever entirely rid our bodies of yeast. What we do is we keep it in check.’ There are well-known causes of yeast infections; antibiotics, douches, weak immune systems or tight clothes made from barely breathable fabrics. However, some other, hidden causes may also be preventing you from keeping yeast in check:

 

1. Low oestrogen: Oestrogen feeds acidophilus, keeping yeast at bay, but right before your period, your levels of oestrogen levels dip and this enables yeast to grow. Booth notes, ‘A lot of women will say that they get symptoms right around their period that later go away.’ If this sounds all-too familiar, Booth suggests doubling up on probiotic supplements in the week before your period, as well as avoiding sugar or extra carbs and eating more yoghurt. Booth comments, ‘I think prevention is best, rather than treatment. We need to think of keeping ourselves in balance so we’re not symptomatic.’

 

2. Too much sugar: Booth’s mantra goes, ‘Wherever there’s sugar, there’s yeast.’ This means that your obvious offenders, such as sugary snacks, invite yeast into the picture, but you also need to be wary of consuming lots fruit, juice or high-carb foods. These seemingly healthy foods can also cause your blood sugar to spike, especially in the morning when your blood sugar is low. Booth warns, ‘The kind of morning diet that causes a jump in blood sugar can stimulate the yeast to take over.’ This is especially true if you have coffee alongside your sugary breakfast: ‘When you combine caffeine with sugar, the yeast basically has a party and takes over.’ So, what should you eat instead? Booth recommends, ‘Anything to stabilise blood sugar so as not to feed the yeast.’

 

3. Pantyliners: According to Booth, ‘Pantyliners cause a low-grade irritation that can decrease the skin’s immunity. When our defences go down, we get more symptomatic.’ The same goes for scented or synthetic tampons, especially if your tissue is ultra-sensitive. Moreover, the synthetic fibres in pantyliners block airflow, and yeast loves environments with little air. Therefore, you’re much better off wearing cotton underwear with no liners, and using an unscented, cotton tampon if you tend to get frequent infections.

 

4. Vaginal eczema: Eczema is characterised by scaly, itchy rashes that tend to crop up on your arms or legs, but did you know that it can also show up on your vulva and vaginal tissues? When this happens, Booth details that it ‘causes chronic inflammation and irritation, so some people can develop yeast infections.’ If you find that this is the case, Booth advises that you speak with your gynaecologist about treating the vaginal eczema. Once the eczema is treated, the yeast issue should clear up as a result.

 

5. Spermicidal condoms: Nonoxynol-9 is the active ingredient you’ll find in most spermicides, and it’s not the gentlest substance. Booth explains, ‘If the spermicide is irritating for the woman, then that will disturb her vaginal immunity and allow [yeast] to take advantage.’ This is also true of spermicide creams, jellies, foams, gels, films and suppositories, as well as diaphragms, which are usually paired with spermicidal creams, jelly or gels that can cause irritation. Again, talk to your gynaecologist about alternatives, such as Durex condoms.

Categories: Blood Sugar, booth, keeping yeast, Low Oestrogen, nbsp, Pantyliners, Sugar, vaginal, vaginal eczema, yeast, Yeast Infections

Little Known Secrets About What it Takes to Lose Weight

Diet and nutrition are some of the most talked about topics amongst men and women today. While this indicates that we are all focused on our wellness and well-being, we still see more of us being overweight more than ever before.

 

It could be that people are falling victim to a number of different myths about healthy eating. Misinformation is rampant in the diet sector and it can be hard to sort fact from fiction.

 

The first of these myths is that a calorie is just a calorie, and that losing weight is a simple matter of ‘calories in’ versus ‘calories out’. Calories are one thing to consider but different foods have different effects on the body, and our metabolism, blood sugar, hunger and hormones all have an effect on how we react to the foods that we eat. Eating 100 calories worth of broccoli does not have the same effect on your body as 100 calories of sweets!

 

Food that contains protein, healthy fat or fibre makes your metabolism work well and keeps you feeling fuller for longer, whereas food with starch or simple sugars will make your blood sugar spike and make your energy crash, leading to further eating. Therefore you should concentrate more on the food you eat than on the exact calorie content.

 

Going gluten free is also another common diet method. Some people are allergic to gluten, but some others think that by avoiding gluten they can shed the pounds, however that is simply not the case. Only six percent of the population has gluten sensitivity and fewer are actually allergic.

 

The reason that people lose weight by eliminating food from their diet that contains gluten is that these foods are coincidentally the kind of food that people tend to overeat, such as pasta, bread, crisps and so on. So basically, what you are actually eliminating from your diet is not gluten but overeating!

Categories: Blood Sugar, calories, diet, Food, Gluten, Lose weight, nbsp, secrets, weight