Commentary: Diet is critical in managing diabetes

By Bonnie Brost

What we eat affects our bodies and our health.

For people with diabetes, what we eat can help us manage the condition or put us at risk for serious health issues. Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects almost 30 million adults in the United States. Another 86 million adults have pre-diabetes, which means they are at high risk for developing the disease.
Diabetes means your body either doesn't make enough insulin or cannot use its own insulin as well as it should. In reality, diabetes is much more complicated. The federal Centres for Disease Control and Prevention define it well: "Diabetes is the condition in which the body does not properly process food for use as energy."

A classic symptom of diabetes is high blood sugar, which rises in all of us after we eat but can reach dangerous levels in people with the disease. Blood sugar levels are how the disease is diagnosed and monitored using blood tests.
High blood sugar can increase your risk of blindness, kidney damage, heart attack or stroke. It can cause loss of feeling in your feet and legs, which can lead to amputation. The damage does not happen quickly, and by the time you have a hint that there is damage, it may be too late to avoid it.
Living with too high blood sugar is like having a car with a little oil leak. You may not even notice it for a long time until your car engine overheats and becomes too damaged to run. That's why we need to pay attention to our blood sugar patterns, understand what is happening and develop lifestyle habits that delay or avoid destroying our body.

Diet is critical to managing diabetes. We can divide foods into three categories: protein, fat and carbohydrates. Carbohydrates have the biggest effect on blood sugar.
Many people believe that eating very little carbohydrates is what is needed. However, there is no conclusive evidence of an ideal amount of carbohydrate intake for people with diabetes. Recommendations need to be based on an individualized assessment of each person's current eating patterns, food preferences and metabolic goals.
Too few carbohydrates can actually cause blood sugar to run high for some people with diabetes. Their liver can become overactive and dump sugar if they don't eat enough carbohydrates. Limiting all carbohydrates may also decrease important vitamins and minerals that our bodies need, such as magnesium and potassium. This also can affect blood sugar control, blood pressure and heart beat.

Still, carbohydrates do need to be limited for people with diabetes. It is best to spread carbs out throughout the day so the pancreas only has to handle a little carbohydrate at a time, not a big load. Skipping breakfast or lunch sets you up to overdose for the evening meal and your pancreas will protest for all the extra work late in the day.
Most adults with diabetes should aim for 30-60 grams of carbohydrates per meal and 15-30 grams for a snack. Choose carbohydrates that are higher in fibre, such as whole fruits or vegetables or whole grains instead of those high in sugar or highly processed such as regular soda, cookies, sweet rolls, candy, baked goods, juices and many cereals. Instead, try high-fibre tortilla wraps, fresh apples, fresh berries, beans, Triscuits or Beanito chips.
Protein may help stabilize blood sugars. Protein doesn't spike blood sugars and when eaten with some carbohydrates can slow the digestion of carbohydrates. Choose protein low in saturated fat, such eggs, poultry, fish, tuna, reduced-fat cheese, very lean pork and very lean beef. Make a breakfast wrap with a high-fibre tortilla, scrambled eggs, mushrooms and tomatoes. Try a chicken chili with chicken breast, black beans, tomatoes, corn and peppers. Pair a grilled pork tenderloin with sweet potato and roasted cauliflower and broccoli.
Saturated fat may block insulin from working and cause blood sugars to stay high. Saturated fat is very high in butter, cheese, marbled cuts of beef, most sausages, chocolate candy, ice cream and many desserts. Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, such as those found in nuts and olive oil, have little effect on blood sugar.
Exercise is amazing for diabetes. The more you move the less medication you need to manage your blood sugar. Exercise helps muscle cells take in blood sugar more efficiently. It also helps to quiet the liver from dumping too much sugar. Exercised muscles store more sugar so they don't have to call to the liver for extra fuel.
If you have diabetes or pre-diabetes, be sure to do your part with eating well throughout the day, limiting simple carbohydrates, exercising, taking your medications and getting good sleep. This will help your body stay well and avoid complications.

http://www.brainerddispatch.com/lifestyles/health/4148346-commentary-diet-critical-managing-diabetes

Can your diet defeat diabetes? What Britain's four million sufferers eat may cause illness - but doctors say it can be beaten

From mirror.co.uk

Dealing with Type 2 diabetes is costing the health service a staggering £10 billion a year as nearly four million Brits now suffer from the illness.
The NHS is sitting on a diabetes time-bomb.
Dealing with Type 2 diabetes is costing the health service a staggering £10 billion a year as nearly four million Brits now suffer from the illness.

There are nearly 2,000 early deaths a month attributed to diabetes and everyday 20 people have limbs amputated as a result of diabetes-related complications.
And it is estimated that a staggering 11 million of us have an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.
Dr Naresh Kanumilli said: “If you look at the incidents of diabetes that is going to happen in 2030, it far outnumbers the numbers of cancers put together.”
Ninety per cent of people with Type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese – so it appears that what we eat may be a big part of the problem.
And now doctors have proven that diet can be a cure for some people with diabetes.
Professor Roy Taylor and his team at Newcastle University have been doing ground-breaking research on the condition.
Using an MRI scan they can reveal the hidden carnage inside people's bodies – the amount of fat inside their liver and pancreas which can indicate their risk of developing diabetes.
People with an excessively high percentage of fat in their livers are at an increased risk.
But the doctors have have been able to show that just two months of dietary changes can make dramatic improvements.
And it is thought that carefully combining certain foods can be key on controlling blood sugar levels and therefore Type 2 diabetes.
Professor Taylor tells ITV's Tonight Programme: “We've been able to show that with eight weeks of very low calorie diet we could not only get the liver back to normal, but also wake up the pancreas and diabetes had gone.
"So a very striking finding because no-one had ever watched the pancreas waking up and going back to normal before.
“Some individuals hearing about this have put their own interpretations on it and have done exactly the same, cutting back to seven/eight hundred calories just with ordinary food stuffs and that is fine.”
Peter Maher had been diabetic for the last three decades and was injecting insulin daily. But when he read Professor Taylor's research he decide to have a go himself.
He cut back on carbohydrates, reduced his portion sizes and focused on eating combinations of foods that kept his blood sugar low.
He says: “Over time I developed a whole new menu of things that not only I could eat but I really enjoyed eating. And as long as you keep your carbohydrate under control you can have some really delicious meals.
"One of my favourites is to go out to a restaurant and have a steak and a salad – zero carbohydrate. And once you understand that you know dieting is a dream.”
After four months Peter dropped two and a half stone, his blood sugar levels came down and he was able to come off insulin altogether.
He says: “So I had gone from a position at the start of March pumping loads of stuff into my body and by mid-August, simply by changing what I ate all of my diabetic symptoms were improving and medication was down to zero.”
Medicinal chef Dale Pinnock says people should look for carbohydrates with low GI levels – the Glycemic Index being what measures how quickly carbs are turned into sugar in our bodies.
He says people should be looking to ditch the chips in favour of good quality carbs like brown rice and combine them with a good quality protein like a chicken breast.
Dale says this creates a meal which takes longer to digest and in turn releases its energy much more slowly.
Claire Poole was quite cynical about Dale's methods - until she tried them for herself. She is overweight, using medication to control her type 2 diabetes symptoms and admits one of her favourite meals is homemade sausage pie and chips.
Before eating her regular meal she tested her blood glucose level which was 7.7. Official recommendations say it should only rise to a maximum of 8.5 two hours after eating. But instead it shot up to 15.9
But under Dale's guidance she has managed to keep her blood sugar levels much more controlled after a meal.
She cooked one of his recipes, chicken breast, bacon and puy lentils - and her blood glucose level only rose to eight.
Last year school welfare worker Val Cornall had a routine test which revealed she had a very high blood sugar level putting her at risk of type 2 diabetes.
She weighed over 16 stone at the time and the diagnosis was the incentive she needed to lose weight.
She followed an eight week diet, specifically aimed at reducing foods that cause a spike in blood-sugar levels.
Full fat dairy, meat, nuts, salads, porridge and veg were in, and high sugar foods – including high sugar fruits - and her favourite fish and chips were out.
In just eight weeks she lost two stone. She says: “I kept losing weight. I have lost weight every week since then and I have lost six stone and 11 pounds so far.
"I feel much fitter and much healthier and my blood glucose is now back to normal...and I am really thankful and relieved about that.”

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/can-your-diet-defeat-diabetes-9137229

5 Tips for Dealing With Diabetes and a New Job

By Lindsey Wahowiak

Congratulations! You have a new job, new responsibilities, new co-workers and boss, and maybe even a new commute or lunch routine. When you have diabetes, you have something more to think about than your first-day paperwork. Here’s how to make your transition a smooth one.

1. Consider Who You’ll Tell

You don’t have to inform an employer that you have diabetes—and company personnel are not permitted by law to ask. But you may want people to know, says Joanne Rinker, MS, RD, CDE, LDN, a dietitian and diabetes educator who sits on the board of directors for the American Association of Diabetes Educators. If you have a job with a rigid schedule, you may want to tell your employer about your diabetes so you can have the breaks you need for self-care tasks. If you have a more relaxed structure and privacy in your new job—a place to check blood glucose, take injections or medications, and have meals and snacks as needed—you may choose not to tell.
Your conversations can be subtle and confidential, or you may share with everyone. Brianna Wolin, 21, of Chicago shares a quick speech about diabetes with co-workers: “I am entirely self-managed and have never needed others’ assistance due to a diabetic emergency. However, in the event that I do need help, please find the glucagon in my bag and call 911, unless I am conscious, in which case please direct me to drink a sugary drink. I may need to suddenly go to the bathroom, leave my desk, or leave work for the day, which I will never abuse. If you have any questions, always feel free to ask—I’m an open book!”

2. Know Your Rights

It’s your employer’s responsibility to ensure a safe and healthy workplace, according to federal regulations. That includes offering reasonable accommodations for where to check blood glucose, dose insulin, and treat lows.
To that end, attorney Benjamin Eisenberg, director of the American Diabetes Association’s Legal Advocate Program, and his team help hundreds of people with workplace issues every year. “We are willing to help you educate an employer, help you negotiate problems, or even walk you through the steps to file formal legal complaints—whatever we can do to help fight for fairness for people with diabetes at work,” Eisenberg says.

3. Communicate & Educate

People who lack information about diabetes may make incorrect assumptions about it. Some people with diabetes, in an effort to not make their new co-workers uncomfortable, may hide their management and treatment. But this can be dangerous. Anthony Ware, MPM, MFP, APM, 48, a retired Navy veteran and airport manager from Lake Charles, Louisiana, hid his type 2 diabetes for six months. “I … found myself having a hypoglycemic episode once a day before I came forward,” Ware says. The good news: “There was an immediate positive reception with genuine concern for me.”
Ware says communication, cooperation, and information encourage a healthier, safer, and more productive workplace environment. Not sure where to start? Learn more about workplace discrimination at diabetes.org/workrights. The National Diabetes Education Program’s Diabetes at Work offers fact sheets, lesson plans, and tool kits for workplace education. Find out more at diabetesatwork.org.

4. Build a Buddy System

If your workplace has a wellness program that promotes healthy worker behaviours, consider joining. If it doesn’t, ask your boss or human resources department about creating one. These programs can be beneficial to people with and without diabetes.
It behoves both workers and employers to use a workplace wellness program, says Joan Bardsley, MBA, RN, CDE, FAADE, assistant vice president of Medstar Health Research Institute and Medstar Health Nursing. “Employers are … doing this so people are healthier,” she says. “A healthier workforce is a more productive workforce.” The ADA’s Wellness Lives Here program (diabetes.org/wellnessliveshere) helps employers promote healthy living and reduce illness.

5. Account for (In)Activity & Stress

Whether you’ve got a job that requires you to be on your feet all day or one that keeps you at a desk, your blood glucose levels can be affected, says Pamela Allweiss, MD, MPH, a medical officer with the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Diabetes Translation. And different days might involve different tasks, so it’s important to check your blood glucose as directed, especially on days that heighten your stress levels. You should also make your mental health a priority, Allweiss says. “We know people with diabetes have a higher chance of depression,” she says. “Depression is probably the most prevalent cause of absenteeism at work.”

Safety First

Simple things, like keeping emergency glucose nearby and maintaining a sharps container for discarded lancets or needles, can make your workplace safer for you and your co-workers. Pamela Allweiss, MD, MPH, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Diabetes Translation, suggests that folks who operate machinery, work shifts, or work at high heights—all of which can affect blood glucose—check levels early and often. “Be safety aware,” she says.

http://www.diabetesforecast.org/2016/nov-dec/5-tips-for-dealing-with.html

Diabetes: Don’t Sugar-Coat It

from ghs.org

A diabetes diagnosis can be scary. If your doctor tells you you’re at risk for developing diabetes, you should take it very seriously. But there are ways you can start living healthier right away. If you already have diabetes, you can control it and be a healthy person living with diabetes. Learn more about the types of diabetes, the warning signs and how you can reduce your chance of developing it (or manage your diabetes better) below.

What is Diabetes?

When you have diabetes, your body has trouble using sugar (glucose) in the blood. This leads to too much sugar in your blood.

Types of Diabetes

Type 1
The body does not make enough insulin. Insulin is a hormone that helps the cells in your body to use the sugar in your blood. Many people with type 1 diabetes need an insulin shot every day.
Type 2
The body makes insulin, but the insulin does not work the way it is should. Type 2 diabetes often is linked to obesity.
Gestational Diabetes
High blood sugar in a pregnant woman who has never had diabetes.

How Do I Know if I Have Diabetes?

Diabetes Warning Signs

If you are experiencing one or more of the following symptoms, tell your doctor:

• Needing to use the bathroom (pass urine) more often
• Feeling very hungry and thirsty
• Feeling very tired
• Blurry vision
• Cuts and bruises take longer to heal

Are You at Risk?

Type 1
In this type of diabetes, which usually starts in childhood, the body does not produce insulin. The main things that lead to it are …

• Family history. If you have relatives with diabetes, chances are greater you’ll get it, too. Anyone who has a mother, father, sister or brother with type 1 diabetes should get checked. A simple blood test can diagnose it.
• Diseases of the pancreas. These conditions, such as pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer, can slow the ability of the pancreas to make insulin.
• Infection or illness. Some infections and illnesses, mostly rare ones, can damage your pancreas.

Type 2
If you have this kind, your body can’t use the insulin it makes. This is called insulin resistance. Type 2 usually affects adults, but it can begin at any time in your life. The main things that lead to it are …

• Obesity or being overweight. Research shows this is a top reason for type 2 diabetes. Because of the rise in obesity among U.S. children, this type is affecting more teenagers.
• Impaired glucose tolerance. Prediabetes is a milder form of this condition. It can be diagnosed with a simple blood test. If you have it, there’s a strong chance you’ll get type 2 diabetes.
• Insulin resistance. Type 2 diabetes often starts with cells that are resistant to insulin. That means your pancreas has to work extra-hard to make enough insulin to meet your body’s needs.
• Ethnic background. Diabetes happens more often in Hispanic/Latino Americans, African-Americans, Native Americans, Asian-Americans, Pacific Islanders, and Alaska natives.
• High blood pressure. Blood pressure over 140/90 is associated with a higher risk of diabetes.
• Low levels of HDL. HDL is known as (“good”) cholesterol. Low HDL levels and high levels of triglycerides are associated with increased risk of diabetes.
• Gestational diabetes. If you had diabetes while you were pregnant, you had gestational diabetes. This raises your chances of getting type 2 diabetes later in life.
• Sedentary lifestyle. If you exercise less than three times a week, you may be putting yourself at risk for diabetes.
• Family history. Those with a parent or sibling who has diabetes are at increased risk of developing diabetes, too.
• Polycystic ovary syndrome. Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) have a higher risk.
• Age. If you’re over 45 and overweight or if you have symptoms of diabetes, talk to your doctor about a simple screening test.

First Line of Defence: Weight, Diet and Exercise

Losing extra pounds, eating better and becoming more active are some of the most important steps you can take. There are people who aren’t overweight who have type 2 diabetes, but added pounds do put you at risk. In one study, being overweight or obese was the single most important thing that predicted who would get diabetes. The study results showed that over 16 years, regular exercise—at least 30 minutes a day, five days a week—and a low-fat, high-fibre diet helped prevent diabetes. So, let’s get started …

Shed Some Pounds

Healthy weight loss isn’t just about a “diet” or “program.” It’s about an ongoing lifestyle that includes long-term changes in daily eating and exercise habits. Eating healthy food is important, but you also need to pay attention to how much food you eat. Try these small changes that can make a big difference.

• Start the day with a healthy breakfast.
• Eat small, healthy snacks during the day. This will keep you from overeating at mealtimes.
• Read the label to find out how many servings are in a package. There may be more than one!
• Put a serving of food in a bowl instead of eating out of the package or container.
• Serve food on plates and leave the main dish on the stove. You will be less tempted to go back for seconds.
• If you are eating out, only eat half of your meal. Take the other half home.
• Eat slowly—this will give you time to feel when you are full.
• Don’t eat in front of the TV. It’s harder to keep track of how much you are eating.

Eat a Healthy Diet

Eating healthy means getting enough vitamins, minerals, and other nutrients—and limiting unhealthy foods and drinks. Eating healthy also means getting the number of calories that’s right for you (not eating too much or too little).
To eat healthy, be sure to get plenty of …

• Vegetables, fruits, whole grains and fat-free or low-fat dairy products
• Seafood, lean meats and poultry, eggs, beans, peas, seeds and nuts

It’s also important to limit …

• Sodium (salt)
• Added sugars like refined (regular) sugar, brown sugar, corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup and honey
• Saturated fats, which come from animal products like cheese, fatty meats, whole milk and butter, and plant products like palm and coconut oils
• Trans fats, which may be in foods including stick margarines, coffee creamers and some desserts
• Refined grains which are in foods like cookies, white bread and some snack foods

Get Active!

Lots of people struggle to fit physical activity into their busy lives. If you or someone you care about is having a hard time getting active, here are some tips to get you started.

Do these activities alone or with a friend:

• Start small. Try taking a walk after dinner twice a week, or do crunches (sit-ups) while you watch TV.
• Mix it up. Learn new stretches and warm-up exercises.

Make exercise part of your regular routine:

• Meet a friend at the local gym or recreation centre on your way home from work.
• Wake up a bit earlier so you can go for a brisk walk before breakfast.
• Pick a certain time for physical activity, like right after your favourite TV show.
• Ride your bike or walk to the store or coffee shop.

https://www.ghs.org/healthcareservices/medicine/endocrinology-diabetes/diabetes-dont-sugar-coat/

How diabetes can be prevented

From financialwatchngr.com

Diabetes mellitus is a syndrome of multiple aetiology (which can be inherited or acquired) characterised by chronic hyperglycaemia(increased blood sugar level) with disturbance of carbohydrate, fat and protein metabolism resulting from defects in insulin secretion/or insulin utilization.

However, this disease can be prevented in high risk individuals by following these preventive measures.

In prevention of diabetes mellitus, Changing your lifestyle could be a big step  toward diabetes prevention — and it’s never  too late to start.

Diabetes prevention is as basic as eating more  healthy diet, becoming more physically active and losing a few extra weight.

Making a few simple changes in your lifestyle  now may help you avoid the complications of diabetes, such as nerve, kidney and heart damage.

Get more physical activity:

There are many benefits to regular physical activity. Exercise can help you:

– Lose weight.

– Lower your blood sugar.

– Boosts your sensitivity to insulin which helps keep your blood sugar within a normal range.

Research shows that both aerobic exercise and resistance training can help control diabetes, but the greatest benefit comes from a fitness program that includes both.

Studies show that people at high risk for diabetes can prevent or delay the onset of the disease by losing 5 to 7 per cent of their weight, if they are overweight.

 

Two keys to success:

1. Get at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity five days a week.
2. Eat a variety of foods that are low in fat and reduce the number of calories you eat per day.

 

The key is: small steps that lead to big rewards.

One Small Step: Know your risk. Work with your health care team to find out if you have pre-diabetes, a condition that puts you at risk for type 2 diabetes.

Big Reward: Knowing you can prevent or delay diabetes can give you peace of mind. Ask yourself these questions and write down your answers.

1. Why do you want to prevent diabetes?_________
2. Who do you want to do it for?_____________

Review your answers every week to help you stay with your PLAN.

Set a weight loss goal: The key to preventing diabetes is to lose weight by eating healthy foods that are lower in fat and calories and being physically active. Set a goal that you can achieve.

A good goal is to lose at least 5 to 10 per cent of your current weight.

Weigh yourself at least once a week and write down your progress. Research shows that people who keep track of their weight reach their goals more often than those who don’t.

Move more: Try brisk walking, dancing, swimming, biking, jogging, or any physical activity that helps get your heart rate up. You don’t have to get all your physical activity at one time. Try getting some physical activity throughout the day in 10 minute sessions.

Big Reward: Losing weight by eating healthy and getting more physical activity not only can help you prevent diabetes, but it also lowers your risk for heart disease, certain types of cancer, arthritis, and many other health problems. Also, you will feel better, and have more energy to do the things you enjoy.

There are lots of things you can do at home and at work to get more physical activity throughout the day. You don’t have to play a sport or go to a gym to be more active, unless that’s what you like to do.

You can walk or try swimming, water aerobics, biking, dancing, or any activity that keeps you moving toward the goal of 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity five days a week.

Before you start a physical activity program, be sure to talk with your health care provider.

Build physical activity into your day.

Start or end your day by taking your dog—or a friend’s dog, for a brisk walk. When shopping, park a little further away from the store’s entrance.

If it’s safe, get off the bus a stop or two before your work place and walk the rest of the way. While watching TV, walk or dance around the room, march in place, or do some sit-ups and leg lifts.

Double bonus: cut out a TV show and get moving instead!

Eat a Variety of Healthy Foods From Each Food Group.

Focus on fruits. Eat a variety of fruits—whether fresh, frozen, canned, or dried. For a 2,000-calorie diet, you will need 2 cups of fruit each day (for example, 1 small banana, 1 large orange)

Vary your veggies. Eat more dark green veggies, beans and peas.

Get your calcium-rich foods. Get 3 cups of low fat or fat-free milk—or an equivalent amount of low-fat yogurt and/or low-fat cheese every day.

Make half your grains whole. Eat at least 3 ounces of whole-grain cereals, breads, crackers, rice, or pasta every day. One ounce is about 1 slice of bread, 1 cup of breakfast cereal, or 1/2 cup of cooked rice or pasta.

At home:

• Choose foods that are not fried. Instead of fried chicken, try it grilled or baked. Instead of potato chips, slice potatoes, mix them with a little bit of oil and pepper, and bake them in the oven.
• Use herbs and seasonings to add flavour to low-fat dishes. Instead of salt, give foods a little kick by adding hot sauce or red pepper flakes.
• Wrap up and refrigerate leftover foods right after cooking so you’re less tempted to go back for seconds.
• For dessert, eat a piece of fruit.

In-between meals:

• Replace snacks high in fat with crunchy fruits, vegetables, or a tablespoon or two of unsalted nuts.
• Drink lots of water. Choose water or sugar-free soda. By doing this, you can cut about 250 calories.

Go lean with protein. Choose lean meats and poultry. Bake it, broil it, or grill it. And vary your protein choices— with more fish, beans, peas, nuts, and seeds.
Choose and prepare foods and beverages with little salt (sodium) and/or sweeteners.

IN CONCLUSION
Maintain a healthy weight. To find out if you are overweight, you can use the body mass index (BMI) chart for adults.
Exercise regularly. Do activities that raise your heart rate. Try to do moderate activity at least 2½ hours a week.
Eat a balanced diet, including whole grains, lean meat, and vegetables.
Limit saturated fats, Limit calories in order to avoid gaining weight, or to help you lose weight. Reduce your intake of junk food.
Eat smaller meals more often in order to keep blood sugar levels within your target range.
Eating more vegetables, whole grains, and nuts can lower your risk for type 2 diabetes.

http://www.financialwatchngr.com/2016/10/23/diabetes-can-prevented/

Managing diabetes takes four steps

From elpasotimes.com

Diabetes is a disease that affects how the body uses blood sugar.
Having too much sugar in your blood can lead to serious health problems, such as heart disease, nerve damage, eye problems and kidney disease.
According to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately 29.1 million Americans have diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults.
With type 1 diabetes, the body does not produce the hormone insulin, which helps your body use the sugars and starches you eat. With type 2 diabetes, blood sugar levels rise higher than normal and the body is not able to make enough insulin to keep your blood sugar at normal levels.
The CDC estimates that 1.4 million Americans are diagnosed with diabetes each year.
November is National Diabetes Month with the intent to bring awareness about the impact of diabetes on millions of Americans to individuals, health care professionals, organizations and communities across the country. The National Diabetes Education Program’s theme this year is "Managing Diabetes."
There are four steps to Manage Your Diabetes.
Step 1: Learn about diabetes.  Know the difference between the different types of diabetes.
Step 2: Know your diabetes ABCs (A-1-C test, Blood Pressure, Cholesterol). The A1C is a blood test that measures your average blood sugar over the past three months. B is for blood pressure. If your blood pressure gets too high, it makes your heart work too hard and can lead to a heart attack or stroke. C is for cholesterol. Find out what your cholesterol numbers are and what they should be.
Step 3: Learn how to live with diabetes. Stress can raise your blood sugar. Learn about different ways to lower your stress, like deep breathing or talking a walk. Eat a balanced diet. Choose foods that are lower in calories and have more fibre. Be physically active. Set goals to be active every day. Start off slow by taking 10-minute walks and gradually increase the amount of time you spend being physically active each week.
Step 4: Get routine checkups to stay healthy.
Maintaining a healthy weight is extremely important for someone who has diabetes. Being overweight or obese increases the risk of complications and other health problems.
According to the American Diabetes Association, obesity affects more than one in three adults and nearly 17 percent of children in the United States. Losing a few pounds through a healthy meal plan and exercise will help control diabetes.
Learn about different ways to lose weight in a healthy way. Find a weight loss plan that works best for you. Eating well-balanced meals and participating in regular physical activity are the keys to managing diabetes.

http://www.elpasotimes.com/story/life/2016/10/23/managing-diabetes-takes-four-steps/92371380/

Two fizzy drinks a day 'doubles risk of diabetes'

By Francesca Gillett

Two glasses of Diet Coke a day doubles the risk of diabetes, scientists have found.
In surprising new study researchers found the diet drink can be almost as bad as other fizzy drinks – and despite being sugar-free it does not stop the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.
More than 2,800 adults took part in the Swedish study and kept a year-long diary about what they drank every day.
Scientists suspect the artificial sweetener in the drinks can actually make people feel hungrier and reach for sugary food.
People who drank two or more sweetened drinks a day - whether sugary or artificially sweetened - were 2.4 times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
The researchers from the Karolinska Institute in Sweden found for every 200ml of sugary fizzy drink drunk each day, the diabetes risk increased by 21 per cent. The same amount of diet drink consumed every day increased the risk by 18 per cent.
Drinking five or more sugar-free drinks a day increased the risk of developing the disease by 4.5 times.
The findings were published in the European Journal of Endocrinology, have led researchers to believe artificial sweeteners may be causing chemical reactions within the gut bacteria.
These reactions could lead the body to become less tolerant of glucose, triggering diabetes.
There are 3.3 million British people living with diabetes, most of whom have type 2. The NHS spend £1 billion a year on drugs to treat the illness
The head researcher, Josefin Löfvenborg, said: ‘One hypothesis is that consumption of diet soft drinks may stimulate appetite making us increase our food intake, especially sweet or sugary foods, possibly leading us to become overweight which is a risk factor for diabetes.
‘It has also been proposed that artificial sweeteners may negatively affect the balance of “good” and “bad” species of microbes in the gut, leading to glucose intolerance.’

http://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/other/two-fizzy-drinks-a-day-doubles-risk-of-diabetes/ar-AAjdoTN