Category Archives: Diet And Food

(MENAFN - Arab News) The diabetic diet is not a specific diet, but a set of eating guidelines designed to help diabetics manage their insulin levels and blood sugar. Different doctors recommend varying types of diabetic diets, but some aspects of the diet are consistent across a wide range of different plans.

The diabetic diet is not a specific diet, but a set of eating guidelines designed to help diabetics manage their insulin levels and blood sugar. Different doctors recommend varying types of diabetic diets, but some aspects of the diet are consistent across a wide range of different plans.

The goal of the diabetic diet is to customize carb intake to the individual, and to manage insulin levels as much as possible without the use of insulin injections. Another goal is to attain the ABCs of diabetes. The A stands for the A1c or hemoglobin A1c test, which measures average blood sugar over the previous three months. B is for blood pressure, and C is for cholesterol. People with diabetes should attain as near as normal blood sugar control (HbA1c), blood pressure, and healthy cholesterol levels.

Kinds of diabetic diets

There is a handful of ways to keep track of your carb intake. Before you start a diabetes diet, get the facts. Many people believe that having diabetes means you must avoid sugar and carbs at all cost and prepare special diabetic meals apart from the family's meals. Not true! Most individuals with diabetes can continue to enjoy their favorite foods, including desserts, as long as they monitor the calories, carbs, and other key dietary components and keep a regular check on their blood glucose levels. The following are the two main kinds of diabetic diets:

1. The glycemic index (GI): This is a ranking that attempts to measure the influence that each particular food has on blood sugar levels. It takes into account the type of carbs in a meal and its effect on blood sugar.

2. Carbohydrate count: Carb counting is a way of better understanding carbs and how they affect your blood sugar, medication requirement and insulin requirement. Carb counting has a different role for people with diabetes who use insulin and those that don't. For people with type 1 diabetes and those with type 2 diabetes who require insulin, carb counting is a way of matching insulin requirements with the amount of carb you eat or drink. For people with type 2 diabetes who don't require insulin, carb counting is a way of regulating the amount of carb you consume and monitoring how this affects your blood glucose control, weight management and medication intake.

In recent years, straight carb counting has become more popular than the dietary exchange system and GI, but both can be effective ways to manage carbs for people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

In summary, there is no such thing as a single diabetes diet. Patients should meet with a professional clinical dietitian to plan a customized diet within the general guidelines that takes into consideration their own health needs.

Dr. Saddah Eshki, consultant parenteral nutrition at the King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Center, Jeddah.

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What is the right diabetic diet for me?

A Manitoba man says his life has been transformed since he underwent a weight-loss surgical procedure that he paid for himself, as he did not qualify for a provincial pilot program.

Keith Doerksen of Morden, Man., says he has lost about 150 pounds since he underwent vertical sleeve gastrectomy in January 2011.

Doerksen said he had struggled with his weight since elementary school and tried many ways to shed the pounds. He weighed in about 360 pounds before the surgery.

"Life, in my estimation, was going to be short and full of pills and issues around heart [problems] and diabetes," Doerksen told CBC News in an interview.

"I was taking elevators to meetings and sweating over the least bit of exertion," he added.

"I found every sort of diet attempt didn't work and I was extremely, extremely frustrated."

Doerksen said despite the exercise regimens and diets, he gained back the weight.

"For a bunch of years, I never looked at the scale. I just was so disgusted," he said.

"No matter what I did, how many things I accomplished, what kind of letters I had behind my name, 'f-a-t' were still the letters I had behind my name."

Then one day, Doerksen went online and discovered vertical sleeve gastrectomy, a new kind of weight-loss surgery that is less invasive than the gastric bypass his mother who also battled with her weight had in the 1980s.

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Manitoba man's life changed by weight-loss surgery

The salad bar at Kenilworth Junior High School.

By E.A. BARRERA, FOR THE ARGUS-COURIER

As parents, we try to prepare decent meals, limit how much junk food our kids eat, and ensure they have a reasonably balanced diet. And when we're putting in all that effort, the last thing we want is for our hard work to be undone each day in the school cafeteria.

Michelle Obama, January 26, 2012.

Last month, when President Obama signed into law an update of the Federal School Lunch program, changing dietary standards to include more fresh foods and healthier choices for school kids, local Petaluma School officials could only smile. They had been working on the problem and changing the menu at local schools for five years.

We started replacing the junk food with fresh fruits and vegetables years ago, said Kenilworth Junior High School kitchen manager Jackie Watt. Changes take time, but we have been successful in educating kids and their parents about healthy diets. Things are definitely better today than they were when I came here.

Watt has been with Kenilworth for eight years and credited Ray DiGiamo, the Petaluma Schools' Food Services Supervisor, with creating the change taking place in the kitchens and food centers of the schools.

It can take kids a while to change bad habits and get used to eating healthier, but since Ray came in, the atmosphere has improved dramatically. A big part of that, of course, is the parents are eating healthier now as well. Good eating habits start in the home, said Watt.

The new rules for school lunches will go into effect on July 1, 2012, noted DiGiamo. Among the new standards, schools must provide fruits and vegetables as two separate meal components and offer fruit daily at breakfast and lunch. The schools must provide vegetables daily at lunch, and specifically include vegetable subgroups such as dark greens, orange, and legumes, while limiting the number of starchy vegetables in a given week. Whole grain breads, foods with zero trans-fats, lean meats, and meat substitutes such as soy, are also required under the new guidelines.

We have been working on the approach coming from the administration for some time, said DiGiamo, who spent time working with Dr. Marilyn Briggs, Co-Director of the University of California, Davis Center for Nutrition in School and former Assistant Superintendent of Public Instruction in the California Department of Education. We devised a menu that eliminated processed foods and reduced the amount of sodium and sugar available in the schools. There are no packaged burritos or sodas at the schools anymore.

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School lunches ahead of the game

On the sprawling expanse of the southern Namibian farmlands, an apex predator is under attack.

Livestock farmers are killing the Namibian Caracal, a medium-sized carnivore and apex predator for the region. What they do not know is that the caracal is a better friend for them than enemy: the cats diets are very specific and can be swayed easily away from livestock. Caracals that do not prey on the livestock then protects the territory from other predators that would.

The caracal belongs to the caracal lineage that diverged almost nine and a half million years ago, making it one of the oldest members within the felidae family. It is a medium-sized carnivore that the research community knows very little about in the wild.

The caracal ranges throughout Africa and into Asia covering a good expanse in the Middle East. In that range, there are nine subspecies.

What I find interesting is that the Namibian caracal is currently listed as a distinct subspecies, says Aletris Neils, the lead researcher of the project. This is based on morphometrics and may not be true.

Between March and April this month, award-winning photographer and cinematographer Joshua Morgan from Tucson, Ariz., will be spending his time documenting the plight and conflict regarding Namibian Caracal conservation in the southern region of Namibia, South Africa.

Aletris Neils poses with one of her collared caracals, CC01, before the cat was released. CC01 was later shot and killed on a neighboring farm after he was seen crossing the territory. CC01 was not preying on livestock.

Morgan will be working to document the work of Aletris Neils, a burgeoning young researcher in mammalian conservation. Neils is working to raise awareness for the role the caracal, an apex predator in the local ecosystems of the southern Namibian farmlands.

Neils also found that the caracal has very specific dietary preferences and may only hunt specific animals that it has a taste for. Many caracals dont have a taste for livestock and may actually be hunting smaller predators in the region that are feeding on the livestock. If the caracal population is decimated, the regulatory system of the area will lose its apex predator, which would open up the floodgates for even more loss of livestock.

Despite the long history with human interaction, there is very little research done and virtually very little known about caracals. In Neils research, she hopes to gain a better understanding of their ecology, while raising the awareness of these cats in the southern Namibian ranches their last stronghold, according to Neils.

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The Caracal Cat Conservation Documentary Project

Diet Doc Weight Loss is now offering parts of the Mediterranean diet as part of their comprehensive, medical, weight loss program which offers patient care nationwide

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) March 04, 2012

Diet Doc incorporated parts of the Mediterranean diet associated with protection against small brain blood vessels according to a cohort study by the University of Miami which tested people with lower white brain mass (smaller brains) than those eating the types of foods associated with the Mediterranean diet.

The study revealed that the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet also includes a reduction of blood sugar which causes diabetes 2, hypertension, heart disease, stroke and early onset of death.

Diet Doc HCG Diet and Weight Loss is passionate about helping people reduce their weight to avoid certain diseases and health conditions associated with being overweight. Diet Doc wants to keep the comprehensive, medically, supervised weight loss program affordable to many people, not just a select few. Diet Doc states people often share the barrier to joining an effective weight loss program is cost or the weight comes off too slow. Diet Doc's pricing model is half of what other weight loss doctors are charging, but weight loss is reported at 7 pounds per week reports Julie Wright, president of Diet Doc.

Diet Doc provides medically, supervised patient care to people across the USA. Diet Doc provides a collaborative approach to dieting, which is labor intensive, but effective reports Wright. We work with a team of physicians who are passionate about reducing obesity which is often the cause for many diseases and illnesses reports Wright.

Julie Wright Diet Doc HCG Diet and Weight Loss 888-934-4451 Email Information

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Diet Doc Weight Loss Now Offers Mediterranean Type Diet As Part Of Their Medical Weight Loss

24-09-2010 05:26 Safe Usage of Fat Burners One you have decided that fat burners are going to be a part of your plan to get those pounds off, you need to make sure you are taking this step wisely and safely. Fat burners can be a great way to help you lose weight and keep losing weight, but they can also cause problems if you do not use them properly. Read The Label Before you ever begin taking fat burners make sure you completely read the label and any instructions that come with it. Sometimes there are warnings about certain health conditions or possible interactions that could be related to that fat burner and you need to know of these possible problems before you take them. Medical Conditions If you have medical conditions that you are under a doctor's care for, or are on regular medications, it is smart to talk to your doctor before ever beginning a run of fat burners. You need to make sure that they are safe with the medications you are taking and that your doctor thinks your body is up to handling them. Take The Right Amount A lot of people who start taking fat burners and see results think if the regular dose of pill made them lose three pounds last week, taking extra will help them lose more weight. Don't do this! You should only take the recommended dosage. These supplements have been measured to be safe for the body in the doses that are recommended. Listen To Your Body While fat burners are generally safe to use, you never know what types of things your body is going to have an ...

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Fat Burners To Get You Through A Diet Plateau - Video

Chosen for less calories and great taste, diet soda may cause serious health problems.

A10-year epidemiological study published in the Journal of General Internal Medicine has found a connection between diet sodas and cardiovascular disease.

Sodas have been linked to obesity and metabolic syndrome, butthis study founddaily consumption of diet soda to beassociated with a risk of stroke, heart attack and death.

In an interview with The New York Times, Hannah Gardener, an epidemiologist at the University of Miamiand the lead author of the study, said the correlation found may be caused by underlying factors.

The message for diet soft drink drinkers is not to be alarmed, Gardener said. What weve found is an association, and it might be due to chance or other unmeasured variables.

Merrill Christensen, a professor of nutrition, dietetics and food science at BYU, said the study may not be viable because the connection was not strong enough to prove it was statistically significant.

The only significant difference in risk is found when comparing those who drink one or more a day versus those who drink one or less a month, Christensen said. What you want to see in order for a study to be significant is an equal increase in increments.If the soda intake increases from one a week to two a week, then risk of heart disease should increase as well.

Christensen said he does recognize that not drinking sodas may decrease the chances of heart disease.

If you are 70-years-old and go from drinking more than one diet soda a day to drinking no diet soda, it may decrease the risk [of heart disease], Christensen said.It also depends on how healthy you are in the first place.

Susan Fullmer, a BYU professor of nutrition, dietetics and food science, said the study does not provide sufficient evidence because it was an epidemiology study.

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Study finds correlation between diet sodas and cardiovascular disease

Food brings people together. A great deal of bonding can happen over a pot of soup, but when one person wants chicken noodle while the other wants vegetable, it can turn into a food fight - and not of the John Belushi variety.

Couples expect the normal relationship woes - sex, money, respect - but with the growing prevalence of dietary restrictions and interfaith marriages, the kitchen is increasingly turning into an all out turf war.

This shouldn't be a surprise, says psychotherapist Karen Koenig - food is an "anything-but-simple subject."

"How we feed ourselves and each other says a great deal about how we feel about ourselves and our loved ones," says Koenig, who has written four books on eating and weight.

Dean Thompson, 41, of Austin, Texas, and his girlfriend, Amanda Abbott, 39, know the anything-but-simple nature of food all too well. Thompson is a vegan; Abbott is not.

"The first time I brought Dean over to my family's home for a meal and he just put salad on his plate, passing up most of the huge gourmet meal my father had cooked, I remember thinking this might be a problem," says Abbott.

"At first, I knew it was an issue, but did not notice or think of it as such a big issue," says Thompson. "Most people I was around did not eat like me, so it was not so 'weird' for me to be different in that way."

While the couple says there were always moments of contention, Abbott and Thompson said their culinary contingencies reached boiling point when their now 2-year-old daughter was born. They have since started counseling.

At the time, Abbott was struggling to produce enough breast milk for the baby and Thompson suggested they feed their daughter vegan-friendly almond milk.

"Dean did his due diligence in showing me some studies, and after a long discussion with our pediatrician, I surrendered," says Abbott, who admits she is a cheese lover and grew up on cow's milk. "This was extremely hard for me since most of our friends and family were in my ear with their opinions on how crazy it was to only give a growing child almond milk."

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Love is a cattle field: When diets divide relationships

Spring break can bring crazy parties, foreign locations and mountains of homework. Before that sacred week, students take the time to make arrangements and prepare, and when it comes to preparations, N.C. State students are no rookies.

Diana Quetti, sophomore in communications and a University Recreation employee, has noticed a significant increase in gym-goers in the last few weeks.

"You start to see people who have never come in before," Quetti said. "The crowds aren't quite as big as right after the New Year, but there's definitely a difference."

One might expect a greater number of girls increase their workout schedule but Quetti says she sees just as many guys come in this time of year, if not more.

"At NCSU, people are into being healthy and fit," she said. "They want to make sure they're healthy in the long run but still get in shape for a trip to the beach."

Quetti herself hasn't changed her exercise habits but is gearing up for the incoming fashion season instead.

"I'm not going anywhere for [spring] break, so I've got that extra money to update my wardrobe," Quetti said.

Kendra Stowe, sophomore in communication media, is one such health-conscious student and finds that she makes alterations to her workout routine each spring.

"I try to work out every weekday for at least forty minutes," she said. "I mix cardio and weights to make sure I reach my goal."

Feeling good and being healthy is just as important as looking good. With a plethora of strange diets appearing everyday, it's easy to get sucked into the hype of the grapefruit or air diets. Stowe has had a few run-ins with strange eating habits herself.

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Spring break: ready or not, here it comes

Image: Illustration by Thomas Fuchs

The human body harbors at least 10 times more bacterial cells than human cells. Collectively known as the microbiome, this community may play a role in regulating one's risk of obesity, asthma and allergies. Now some researchers are wondering if the microbiome may have a part in an even more crucial process: mate selection and, ultimately, evolution.

The best evidence that the microbiome may play this critical role comes from studies of insects. A 2010 experiment led by Eugene Rosenberg of Tel Aviv University found that raising Drosophila pseudoobscura fruit flies on different diets altered their mate selection: the flies would mate only with other flies on the same diet. A dose of antibiotics abolished these preferencesthe flies went back to mating without regard to dietsuggesting that it was changes in gut microbes brought about by diet, and not diet alone, that drove the change.

To determine whether gut microbes could affect an organism's longevity and its ability to reproduce, Vanderbilt University geneticist Seth Bordenstein and his colleagues dosed the termites Zootermopsis angusticollis and Reticulitermes flavipes with the antibiotic rifampicin. The study, published in July 2011 in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, found that antibiotic-treated termites showed a reduced diversity in their gut bacteria after treatment and also produced significantly fewer eggs. Bordenstein argues that the reduction of certain beneficial microbes, some of which aid in digestion and in the absorption of nutrients, left the termites malnourished and less able to produce eggs.

These studies are part of a growing consensus among evolutionary biologists that one can no longer separate an organism's genes from those of its symbiotic bacteria. They are all part of a single "hologenome."

"There's been a long history of separating microbiology from botany and zoology, but all animals and plants have millions or billions of microorganisms associated with them," Rosenberg says. "You have to look at the hologenome to understand an animal or plant." In other words, the forces of natural selection place pressure on a plant or animal and its full array of microbes. Lending support to that idea, Bordenstein showed the closer the evolutionary distance among certain species of wasps, the greater the similarities in their microflora.

Researchers believe that the microbiome is essential to human evolution as well. "Given the importance of the microbiome in human adaptations such as digestion, smell and the immune system, it would appear very likely that the human microbiome has had an effect on speciation," Bordenstein says. "Arguably, the microbiota are as important as genes."

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Why Cramming Doesn't Work