Diabetes care

Diabetes care

10 ways to avoid diabetes complications

By Mayo Clinic staff  : www.mayoclinic.com

Diabetes is a serious disease. Following your diabetes treatment plan takes round-the-clock commitment. But your efforts are worthwhile. Careful diabetes care can reduce your risk of serious — even life-threatening — complications.

Here are 10 ways to take an active role in diabetes care and enjoy a healthier future.

1. Make a commitment to managing your diabetes.

Members of your diabetes care team — doctor, diabetes nurse educator and dietitian, for example — will help you learn the basics of diabetes care and offer support and encouragement along the way. But it's up to you to manage your condition. After all, no one has a greater stake in your health than you.

Learn all you can about diabetes. Make healthy eating and physical activity part of your daily routine. Maintain a healthy weight. Monitor your blood sugar level, and follow your doctor's instructions for keeping your blood sugar level within your target range. Don't be afraid to ask your diabetes treatment team for help when you need it.

2. Don't smoke.

If you smoke or use other types of tobacco, ask your doctor to help you quit. Smoking increases your risk of various diabetes complications, including heart attack, stroke, nerve damage and kidney disease. In fact, smokers who have diabetes are three times more likely to die of cardiovascular disease than are nonsmokers who have diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. Talk to your doctor about ways to stop smoking or to stop using other types of tobacco.

3. Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control.

Like diabetes, high blood pressure can damage your blood vessels. High cholesterol is a concern, too, since the damage is often worse and more rapid when you have diabetes. When these conditions team up, they can lead to a heart attack, stroke or other life-threatening conditions.

Eating healthy foods and exercising regularly can go a long way toward controlling high blood pressure and cholesterol. Sometimes medication is needed, too.

4. Schedule yearly physicals and regular eye exams.

Your regular diabetes checkups aren't meant to replace yearly physicals or routine eye exams. During the physical, your doctor will look for any diabetes-related complications — including signs of kidney damage, nerve damage and heart disease — as well as screen for other medical problems. Your eye care specialist will check for signs of retinal damage, cataracts and glaucoma.

5. Keep your vaccines up to date.

High blood sugar can weaken your immune system, which makes routine vaccines more important than ever. Ask your doctor about:

·         Flu vaccine. A yearly flu vaccine can help you stay healthy during flu season as well as prevent serious complications from the flu.

·         Pneumonia vaccine. Sometimes the pneumonia vaccine requires only one shot. If you have diabetes complications or you're age 65 or older, you may need a five-year booster shot.

·         Hepatitis B vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends hepatitis B vaccination if you haven't previously been vaccinated against hepatitis B and you're an adult aged 19 to 59 with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. The most recent CDC guidelines advise vaccination as soon as possible after diagnosis with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. If you're age 60 or older and have diabetes and haven't previously received the vaccine, talk to your doctor about the whether it's right for you.

·         Other vaccines. Stay up to date with your tetanus shot and its 10-year boosters. Depending on the circumstances, your doctor may recommend other vaccines as well.

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6. Take care of your teeth.

Diabetes may leave you prone to gum infections. Brush your teeth at least twice a day, floss your teeth once a day, and schedule dental exams at least twice a year. Consult your dentist right away if your gums bleed or look red or swollen.

7. Pay attention to your feet.

High blood sugar can damage the nerves in your feet and reduce blood flow to your feet. Left untreated, cuts and blisters can lead to serious infections. To prevent foot problems:

·         Wash your feet daily in lukewarm water.

·         Dry your feet gently, especially between the toes.

·         Moisturize your feet and ankles with lotion.

·         Check your feet every day for blisters, cuts, sores, redness or swelling.

·         Consult your doctor if you have a sore or other foot problem that doesn't start to heal within a few days.

8. Consider a daily aspirin.

Aspirin reduces your blood's ability to clot. Taking a daily aspirin can reduce your risk of heart attack and stroke — major concerns when you have diabetes. Ask your doctor whether daily aspirin therapy is appropriate for you, including which strength of aspirin would be best.

9. If you drink alcohol, do so responsibly.

Alcohol can cause low blood sugar, depending on how much you drink and whether you eat at the same time. If you choose to drink, do so only in moderation and always with a meal. Remember to include the calories from any alcohol you drink in your daily calorie count.

10. Take stress seriously.

If you're stressed, it's easy to neglect your usual diabetes care routine. The hormones your body may produce in response to prolonged stress may prevent insulin from working properly, which only makes matters worse. To take control, set limits. Prioritize your tasks. Learn relaxation techniques. Get plenty of sleep.

Above all, stay positive. Diabetes care is within your control. If you're willing to do your part, diabetes won't stand in the way of an active, healthy life.

Rice bran oil and cholesterol metabolism
  

A range of human and animal studies have shown that rice bran oil (RBO) is an edible oil of preference for improving serum cholesterol levels and lipoprotein profiles with similarity to the more commonly used vegetable oils such as com oil and safflower oil. Of particular interest is the observation that blending RBO with safflower oil at a definite proportion (7:3, wt/wt) magnifies the hypo-cholesterolemic efficacy, compared with the effect of each oil alone. Although the mechanism underlying this effect is not apparent at present, the blending may have a practical significance. The blending effect was reproduced in rats fed a cholesterol-enriched diet, and there was also a decrease in liver cholesterol. The occurrence of peculiar components such as gamma-oryzanol and tocotrienols could be responsible for the hypocholesterolemic effect of RBO.

Author(s): Sugano M; Tsuji E
Source: JOURNAL OF NUTRITION 1997, Vol 127, Iss 3, p S521-S524

Health Recipes

Pineapple Salsa Ingredients 3 Red chili peppers 2 cups Diced pineapple 2 tbsp King Rice Bran Oil 2 tbsp Finely chopped parsley 2 tbsp Chopped shallots Lime juice 2 tbsp Ground black pepper Salt Method 1. Cut red chili peppers in half, take seeds off with spoon, then slice into fine strips. 2. Mix all prepared ingredients together. 3. Season with salt and ground black pepper,then pour into a bowl or a small jug and serve with cracker or pizza bread.

www.thaidibleoil.com

Kaffir lime

The kaffir lime is a citrus fruit which hails from Thailand, Laos, Malaysia and Indonesia. The kaffir lime is popularly used in Southeast Asian cooking, such as Thai, Indonesian and Cambodian cuisine. However, it can also be grown throughout the world as a backyard shrub.

Medicinal Uses

The juice and rind of the kaffir lime is also used in traditional Thailand and or Asians country.

As such, this culture recommends using the lime juice to brush the teeth and gums. The fruit has essential oils which are incorporated into various ointments as well. The rind itself serves as an ingredient in many medicinal tonics which are believed to be beneficial for the blood. Just like galangal and lemon grass, the rind of the lime is also said to be beneficial for digestion.

The oil from the lime’s rind also contains strong insecticide properties.

The benefits of coconut oil

Picture By aboutmyrecovery.com

1.      Health benefits

• 1.1 Reduce chlorate in Cholesterol and fat are bad or LDL Cholesterol race or species. HDL helps the health of the body and the heart.
• 1.2 Changed to energy quickly. It has no body fat.
• 1.3 Increase the rate of metabolism. Food is fuel burn out quickly. Not stored as fat in the body.
• 1.4 Help shape. By the accumulation of body fat in different parts. The use of energy. It gives you a better shape.

2.      Benefits to the skin.

• 2.1 The skin look younger. It makes the skin soft, not dry or cracked skin,and smooth skin without wrinkles.
• 2.2  Coconut oil contains substances that help maintain moisture.
• 2.3 Helps prevent blemishes and freckles. In coconut oil have vitamin E acts inhibiting the oxidation reaction of these radicals and to apply it.And prevent sunlight.

3.      Benefits to the skin.

• 3.1 Help condition the hair, soft black hair. The vitamin E helps the growth of hair.
• 3.2 Help maintain the health of the scalp. The antibiotics destroy bacteria. Prevent dandruff.

By:www.coconut-virgin.com

Coconut In Modern Medicine

Modern medical science is now confirming the use of coconut in treating many of the above conditions. Published studies in medical journals show that coconut, in one form or another, may provide a wide range of health benefits. Some of these are summarized below:

·    Kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS, and other illnesses.

·    Kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum disease and cavities, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, and other diseases.

·    Kills fungi and yeasts that cause candidiasis, ringworm, athlete's foot, thrush, diaper rash, and other infections.

·    Expels or kills tapeworms, lice, giardia, and other parasites.

·    Provides a nutritional source of quick energy.

·    Boosts energy and endurance, enhancing physical and athletic performance.

·    Improves digestion and absorption of other nutrients including vitamins, minerals, and amino acids.

·    Improves insulin secretion and utilization of blood glucose.

·    Relieves stress on pancreas and enzyme systems of the body.

·    Reduces symptoms associated with pancreatitis.

·    Helps relieve symptoms and reduce health risks associated with diabetes.

·    Reduces problems associated with malabsorption syndrome and cystic fibrosis.

·    Improves calcium and magnesium absorption and supports the development of strong bones and teeth.

·    Helps protect against osteoporosis.

·    Helps relieve symptoms associated with gallbladder disease.

·    Relieves symptoms associated with Crohn's disease, ulcerative colitis, and stomach ulcers.

·    Improves digestion and bowel function.

·    Relieves pain and irritation caused by hemorrhoids.

·    Reduces inflammation.

·    Supports tissue healing and repair.

·    Supports and aids immune system function.

·    Helps protect the body from breast, colon, and other cancers.

·    Is heart healthy; improves cholesterol ratio reducing risk of heart disease.

·    Protects arteries from injury that causes atherosclerosis and thus protects against heart disease.

·    Helps prevent periodontal disease and tooth decay.

·    Functions as a protective antioxidant.

·    Helps to protect the body from harmful free radicals that promote premature aging and degenerative disease.

·    Does not deplete the body's antioxidant reserves like other oils do.

·    Improves utilization of essential fatty acids and protects them from oxidation.

·    Helps relieve symptoms associated with chronic fatigue syndrome.

·    Relieves symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (prostate enlargement).

·    Reduces epileptic seizures.

·    Helps protect against kidney disease and bladder infections.

·    Dissolves kidney stones.

·    Helps prevent liver disease.

·    Is lower in calories than all other fats.

·    Supports thyroid function.

·    Promotes loss of excess weight by increasing metabolic rate.

·    Is utilized by the body to produce energy in preference to being stored as body fat like other dietary fats.

·    Helps prevent obesity and overweight problems.

·    Applied topically helps to form a chemical barrier on the skin to ward of infection.

·    Reduces symptoms associated the psoriasis, eczema, and dermatitis.

·    Supports the natural chemical balance of the skin.

·    Softens skin and helps relieve dryness and flaking.

·    Prevents wrinkles, sagging skin, and age spots.

·    Promotes healthy looking hair and complexion.

·    Provides protection from damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation from the sun.

·    Helps control dandruff.

·    Does not form harmful by-products when heated to normal cooking temperature like other vegetable oils do.

·    Has no harmful or discomforting side effects.

·    Is completely non-toxic to humans.

By. Coconut Research Center