Smoking With Diabetes
Smoking is harmful and damaging to everyone’s health, but the nicotine in cigarettes may be even more deadly for people who have diabetes.
Researchers have discovered that nicotine raises blood sugar levels, and the more nicotine that is present, the higher the blood sugar levels are. Even nicotine patches or gum can cause harm. Using them for a short period of time is fine, but if you are addicted to nicotine and are using these products long term, it will do harm.
For researchers to test whether or not nicotine increased blood sugar level, they added glucose to samples of human red blood cells. They also added different levels of nicotine to each sample of red blood cells for either one or two days.
They then tested the hemoglobin A1C levels of each sample. Hemoglobin A1C is a measure of what percentage of red blood cells have glucose molecules attached to them. When diabetics are given this test, they strive for a level of 7 percent of less.
Researches found that just this small dose in such a short amount of time actually increased hemoglobin A1C levels to 8.8 percent. Other samples with the highest doses increased blood sugar levels to 34.5 percent.
So whether or not nicotine is the specific reason for raised blood sugar levels, everybody should stop smoking. Also people with diabetes already have a much higher risk of cardiovascular disease, smoking just adds to that.
5 Nervous Habits
We all have nervous ticks or habits that we don’t even notice that we do to help us relieve stress and nervousness.
TOP 5 NERVOUS HABITS
- Hair twirling and pulling. Someone who twirls their hair can be a flirtatious gesture in social situations. However, there are some who twist their locks on a regular basis. This is an activity that can soothe someone who is stressed or nervous. Hair pulling or twisting on a regular basis can cause patchy areas of baldness and over time, the hair follicles can become damaged.
- Smoking. We all know that smoking is a nasty and unhealthy habit, but for some it gives them the illusion of calming. Over time a smoker can only find stress relief through a cigarette. Then there is the mass amount of research that associates smoking with lung cancer and respiratory illness.
- Teeth grinding and clenching. Teeth grinding, also known as Bruxism, is typically the uncontrollable movement of teeth back to front and side to side. When people grind their teeth in their sleep, it causes them to switch from deeper to lighter levels of sleep. It can also cause high amounts of damage to your teeth.
- Nail biting. For most people, having well manicured nails is a sense of pride. For some they can leave their nails alone for fear of imperfections. This habit of “improving” their nails usually begins at childhood. This can cause the skin to become red and raw or even infected.
- Cracking knuckles. When you hear someone “cracking” their knuckles, it’s actually the sound of gases releasing. There actually aren’t any side effects to knuckle cracking, even though many believe it will cause arthritis. If anything it irritates family and friends when knuckle-crackers do it as many 200 times a day.
Diabetes Myths
There are many myths about diabetes that make it hard for people to grip the reality that it is a serious and a potentially deadly disease. These myths can create a picture of diabetes that is not accurate and full of stereotypes.
Here are the facts:
Myth: Diabetes is not that serious of a disease.
Fact: Diabetes causes more deaths a year than breast cancer and AIDS combined. Two out of three people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke.
Myth: If you are overweight or obese, you will eventually develop type 2 diabetes.
Fact: Being overweight is a risk factor for developing this disease, but other risk factors such as family history, ethnicity and age also play a role. Unfortunately, too many people disregard the other risk factors for diabetes and think that weight is the only risk factor for type 2 diabetes. Most overweight people never develop type 2 diabetes, and many people with type 2 diabetes are at a normal weight or only moderately overweight.
Myth: Eating too much sugar causes diabetes.
Fact: No, it does not. Type 1 diabetes is caused by genetics and unknown factors that trigger the onset of the disease; type 2 diabetes is caused by genetics and lifestyle factors. Being overweight does increase your risk for developing type 2 diabetes, and a diet high in calories, whether from sugar or from fat, can contribute to weight gain. If you have a history of diabetes in your family, eating a healthy meal plan and regular exercise are recommended to manage your weight.
Myth: People with diabetes should eat special diabetic foods.
Fact: A healthy meal plan for people with diabetes is generally the same as a healthy diet for anyone – low in fat (especially saturated and trans fat), moderate in salt and sugar, with meals based on whole grain foods, vegetables and fruit. Diabetic and “dietetic” foods generally offer no special benefit. Most of them still raise blood glucose levels, are usually more expensive, and can also have a laxative effect if they contain sugar alcohols.
Myth: If you have diabetes, you should only eat small amounts of starchy foods, such as bread, potatoes and pasta.
Fact: Starchy foods are part of a healthy meal plan. What is important is the portion size. Whole grain breads, cereals, pasta, rice and starchy vegetables like potatoes, yams, peas and corn can be included in your meals and snacks. The key is portions. For most people with diabetes, having 3-4 servings of carbohydrate-containing foods is about right. Whole grain starchy foods are also a good source of fiber, which helps keep your gut healthy.
Myth: People with diabetes can’t eat sweets or chocolate.
Fact: If eaten as part of a healthy meal plan, or combined with exercise, sweets and desserts can be eaten by people with diabetes. They are no more “off limits” to people with diabetes than they are to people without diabetes.
Myth: You can catch diabetes from someone else.
Fact: No. Although we don’t know exactly why some people develop diabetes, we know diabetes is not contagious. It can’t be caught like a cold or flu. There seems to be some genetic link in diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes. Lifestyle factors also play a part.
Myth: People with diabetes are more likely to get colds and other illnesses.
Fact: You are no more likely to get a cold or another illness if you have diabetes. However, people with diabetes are advised to get flu shots. This is because any illness can make diabetes more difficult to control, and people with diabetes who do get the flu are more likely than others to go on to develop serious complications.
Myth: If you have type 2 diabetes and your doctor says you need to start using insulin, it means you’re failing to take care of your diabetes properly.
Fact: For most people, type 2 diabetes is a progressive disease. When first diagnosed, many people with type 2 diabetes can keep their blood glucose at a healthy level with oral medications. But over time, the body gradually produces less and less of its own insulin, and eventually oral medications may not be enough to keep blood glucose levels normal. Using insulin to get blood glucose levels to a healthy level is a good thing, not a bad one.
Myth: Fruit is a healthy food. Therefore, it is ok to eat as much of it as you wish.
Fact: Fruit is a healthy food. It contains fiber and lots of vitamins and minerals. Because fruits contain carbohydrates, they need to be included in your meal plan.
Which Gym is Best for You?
Gym memberships too often turn out bad. Too many people make the decision to join a gym, health club or fitness center without giving the decision its proper consideration. They may decide on memberships because the gym is just around the corner, because so-and-so joined and likes it, or because the gym is offering an “incredible” limited-time only offer. While these things can certainly be factors in a sound decision, alone they are inadequate.
Gyms can be very different. They cater to different clientele, provide different equipment, have different hours and so on. The first step in choosing the best gym membership for your personal situation is deciding what it is you need from the gym in order to accomplish your fitness goals.
Here are a couple of things you need to ask yourself:
- HOURS. When do you plan on working out? Is the potential gym open at that time and how busy is it at that time?
- EQUIPMENT. Is the equipment kept up, in adequate supply and organized in a way that works with your goals?
- STAFF ATTITUDE. Unhappy staff is unhelpful staff. Do the staff members enjoy their work? Do they seem to be more qualified or concerned with a certain type of clientele at the expense of others?
- FELLOW MEMBERS. Are there enough like-minded members who are also serious about their goals? Is the general member just trying to get a date for Saturday night? Are the members courteous and respectful of others, toweling off their sweat when finishing with a piece of equipment, Or do they find it acceptable to start conversations with people trying to push out that last rep?
- CLEANLINESS. Is the facility clean and conducive to a positive experience? Do you plan to shower at the gym and, if so, are the showers someplace where you can achieve that “clean” feeling?
- LOCATION. Is the gym accessible within your schedule?
- PRICE. How much is the gym membership plan going to cost you?
Once you have narrowed your search to a couple of potential gyms, go in and get a sales presentation with a guided tour. Ask for a trial membership. If the gym you are looking at refuses a request for a free trial, thank them and head for the door. What are they hiding?
Gyms that allow you to pay month-to-month for a couple of months before signing a longer term contract are confident in their facility and this is a very good sign.
Use your trial gym memberships to answer those last remaining questions you have.
Good luck on your search for your perfect gym!
Proper Oral Hygiene
Maintaining good oral hygiene is one of the most important things you can do for your teeth and gums. Healthy teeth not only enable you to look and feel good, they make it possible to eat and speak properly. Good oral health is important to your overall well-being.
Daily preventive care, including proper brushing and flossing, will help stop problems before they develop and are much less painful, expensive, or worrisome than treating conditions that have been allowed to progress.
Oral health begins with clean teeth. Consider these brushing basics from the American Dental Association:
- Brush your teeth at least twice a day. When you brush, don’t rush. Take enough time to do a thorough job.
- Use the proper equipment. Use a fluoride toothpaste and a soft-bristled toothbrush. Consider using an electric or battery-operated toothbrush, especially if you have arthritis or other problems that make it difficult to brush effectively.
- Practice good technique. Hold your toothbrush at a slight angle against your teeth and brush with short back-and-forth motions. Remember to brush the inside and chewing surfaces of your teeth, as well as your tongue. Avoid vigorous or harsh scrubbing, which can irritate your gums.
- Know when to replace your toothbrush. Invest in a new toothbrush or a replacement head for your electric toothbrush every three to four months — or sooner if the bristles become frayed.
You can’t reach the tight spaces between your teeth or under your gumline with a toothbrush. That’s why daily flossing is important. When you floss:
- Don’t skimp. Break off about 18 inches of dental floss. Wind most of the floss around the middle finger on one hand, and the rest around the middle finger on the other hand — leaving about 1 inch to floss your first tooth.
- Take it one tooth at a time. Use your thumbs and forefingers to gently pull the floss from the gumline to the top of the tooth to scrape off plaque. Rub the floss against all sides of the tooth. Unwind to fresh floss as you progress to the next tooth.
- Keep it up. If you have trouble getting floss through your teeth, try the waxed variety. If it’s hard to manipulate the floss, use a floss holder or an interdental cleaner — such as a dental pick or stick designed to clean between the teeth.
In addition to daily brushing and flossing, you might use an antiseptic mouth rinse to help reduce plaque between your teeth. Early detection and treatment of oral health problems can ensure a lifetime of good oral health.
Obese Americans
America is one of the richest and most progressive countries in the world. Why isn’t it one of the healthiest too? It’s the sad truth, but Americans are some of the most unhealthy people in the world. Even though we are living in a country with great economic power and advanced technology, we are also living in a country with the smallest fund of nutritional knowledge. Our land is plagued with obesity.
According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention), obesity in adults has increased by 60% within the past twenty years and obesity in children has tripled in the past thirty years. A staggering 33% of American adults are obese and obesity-related deaths have climbed to more than 300,000 a year, second only to tobacco-related deaths.
So the question is, why is America so different from the rest of the world? If you examine the average American’s lifestyle, we live life on the go. We consume a mountain of fast-food and microwave dinners. Instead of eating a diet of wholesome foods coming directly from the land, Americans eat a diet of packaged, processed, and refined foods.
Through technological advancement we have found ways to produce food in mass quantities, make it last longer and taste better. Unfortunately, during this processing somewhere along the line, we seem to have lost the food. The highly processed and refined products that pack our supermarket shelves are loaded with sugar, hydrogenated oils, and ingredients that we can’t even pronounce.
Fast-food restaurant chains have popped up all across the country. America takes advantage of their cheap prices, quick service, and tasty meals. Convenient as they are, these meals contain no nutrients. Some of these places can fill an adults daily fat and calories quota in one meal.
Out of necessity, many obese people suffering from various complications and diseases have learned to change their diet. Those people, with determination and a will to survive have succeeded in becoming healthy once again. They have learned that cutting out meat products, processed foods, fast-foods, high sugar and high sodium foods, while incorporating whole grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes into the diet is the only way to return back to health. It is not easy to go against the strong current of an unhealthy society but it is a necessity.
Video Game Addictions
If you were to ask any preteen or teenage how they spend their extra time, and about ninety percent of the time you will get an earful about video games. Why are they so enjoyable and addicting? According to some studies it would appear that the excitement of video games causes the brain to release a chemical that is, in essence, addictive. For any parent who has experienced the enthusiasm, this news is no surprise.
Dr. Charles Ungerleider explains that “they’re very compelling with increasing complexity, so a child becomes more facile, yet wants to know more and apply new skills.” While wanting to improve their game isn’t a problem in itself, it becomes one if video games are “taking a youngster away too much from other activities,” says Ungerleider. “Then the parent has to intervene and limit the amount of time the youngster spends with the video game.”
If a video game isn’t too violent, it can actually offer some real opportunities for puzzle solving, strategic and critical thinking. But video and computer games must be played in moderation. Parents should provide a selection of activities, and not just the ones that are most action packed or addictive. Choosing some that teach problem solving or good story lines are important to creating a healthy experience with video games.
As for the addiction, parents can prevent their children from becoming addicted by establishing a limit on TV viewing or video games. Also try using video game material early in a child’s life so that by the time a youngster gets to be an adolescent and there’s very little surveillance or control, it’s less likely to occur.
Finally, Ungerleider remind parents that “if a youngster becomes addicted to video games it can be a problem and the parent does need to intervene and provide attractive alternatives.”
Healthy Weight Loss
It’s a new year and most of you are thinking about eating healthier and exercising. But where do you start? Start by thinking about your health risks. Do you have high blood pressure or high cholesterol? Then maybe consider a diet with low salt/fat and fresher, unprocessed foods.
Most of these fad diets tell you that counting carbs and eating a ton of grapefruit will make you shed pounds. When it comes down to weight loss, it’s the calories that make a difference. Weight loss is only possible when you are burning more calories than you take in. You can do that by cutting extra calories from food and beverages and increasing calories burned through physical activity.
As you browse your magazines and internet diets you should look for diets that:
- Include foods from the major food groups: fruits, vegetables, grains, low-fat dairy products, lean protein sources, nuts and seeds.
- Include proper amounts of nutrients and calories to help you maintain a healthy weight.
- Include foods you like and can easily find in your local grocery store.
- Fits your lifestyle and budget.
As important as it is to eating healthier, you must also be exercising. While you can lose weight without exercise, exercise plus limiting calories can help give you the weight-loss edge. Exercise can help burn off the excess calories you can’t cut through diet alone. Exercise also offers numerous health benefits, including boosting your mood, strengthening your cardiovascular system and reducing your blood pressure. Exercise can also help to maintain weight loss. Studies show that people who maintain their weight loss over a long term get better results.
Remember that the most successful way to weight loss is a commitment to make a permanent change in your diet and exercise habits.
