Diabetic’s superfood : the Foods That Improve Diabetes

Diabetic’s superfood

1.   ALMOND (increased glucose metabolism)

Nuts undoubtedly have huge benefits on human health, they contain large amounts of nutrients and minerals.

Almonds are able to normalize blood sugar levels. It is low in carbohydrates, and with large amounts of magnesium. Magnesium is an essential mineral that is involved in many processes in the body. In particular, in the regulation of blood sugar and blood pressure

Scientists were able to learn that people with diabetes have low magnesium in the blood. Clinical trials have shown that a sufficient amount of magnesium in the body has increased insulin response and reduces blood sugar level.

2. Dark chocolate (improves insulin sensitivity)

It would seem the enemy of all diabetics is chocolate? This is not true. Chocolate made from the cocoa, one of the active ingredients is flavonoids, which remain in the cocoa powder after its production.

Ongoing clinical studies have shown that cocoa helps to improve insulin sensitivity, especially in case of Type II diabetes. The increased sensitivity to insulin, your body will become more effective at moving the sugar from the blood into cells, it will give you extra energy.

Dark chocolate can be beneficial to your health, but there is one thing. Your chocolate should really be black, and contain at least 85% cocoa.

20 grams of 85% chocolate contains 120 calories (500 kJ), 9.2 g carbohydrates, of which 4.8 grams of sugar. The lower the percentage of cocoa, the higher calorie and sugar.

3.   Coffee (reduces the risk of developing type 2 diabetes)

Studies have shown that those who have a cup of coffee everyday have a lower chance of developing diabetes. The risk of diabetes is reduced by 18%.

The exact cause of what is the reason is not known, most likely reason is the polyphenols, which in large quantities found in coffee. Polyphenol compounds possess antioxidant properties.

Also coffee contains many minerals such as magnesium, which is associated with increased sensitivity to insulin.

4.   Green coffee (reduces the absorption of sugar)

Green coffee is very different from the roast. Coffee beans contain large amounts of chlorogenic acid, the active ingredient, bringing great benefits to health.

Studies have demonstrated that chlorogenic acid limits the absorption of glucose in the blood, which in turn reduces the level of blood sugar.

5.   GREEN TEA (improves glucose control)

Coffee is good, green coffee is even better, but green tea is best.

The main active ingredients of green tea are polyphenols which are involved in glucose metabolism. Polyphenols gnawed antioxidant properties, they protect cells from premature aging.

Use of green tea reduces the risk of developing Type II diabetes by 28%.

6. Apple cider vinegar (may improve glucose metabolism)

Since ancient times vinegar was used for various health problems. The most popular and best vinegar is apple cider vinegar. Studies have shown that vinegar reduces blood glucose by 34%.

There are many studies conducted on animals and humans, which indicate that the vinegar improves glucose metabolism in one form or another.

7. CINNAMON (can reduce the absorption of sugars and significantly improved insulin sensitivity)

Cinnamon is a great seasoning and spice, it is used since ancient times, and it is one of the most popular spices of ancient Egypt and China. Even in ancient times people have been known beneficial and healing properties of cinnamon.

Some compounds in cinnamon reduce the secretion of digestive enzymes, which slow down the absorption of glucose. As a result, less sugar enters the bloodstream after ingestion of food. Clinical studies suggests a daily dose of cinnamon extract significantly improves insulin sensitivity in patients with Type II diabetes.

The daily dose, which has antidiabetic effect of 2 - 6 grams, it is best to eat carbohydrate foods with cinnamon.

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Diabetic neuropathy and pain relief

Diabetic neuropathy and pain relief

Diabetes can literally get on your nerves. Burning, numbness, tingling, sharp pain, electric vibration - so often describe the sensation in hands, feet and the fingertips of people who have diabetic polyneuropathy (a complication of diabetes). If you ignore the illness, it is with a considerable degree of probability will be developed. However, together with your doctor and with the help of modern medicine, you can put the pain barrier.

Why does it hurt?

Neuralgia develops gradually. The longer the time pain exist, the stronger pain. It causes serious damage to the nerve cells and eventually lead to their extinction. Since the nervous system may lose the ability to control the painful feeling

Medication against pain

For those who barely perceptible to pain, low potency anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen and acetaminophen are very suitable. But if the patient experiences severe pain, it makes no sense to start with low-level drugs. The emergence of non-narcotic drugs, most of which belong to the family of antidepressants and anticonvulsants, changed the approach to the treatment of pain in diabetic neuropathy.

Topical treatment

Local analgesics in the form of a cream or gel can ease tingling, numbness or aching pain in the extremities.Capsaicin have a positive effect, butits not easy to use for people with a burning pain, because Capsaicin itself burns and pricks - as a result, the pain only increases.

Unlike capsaicin, lidocaine anesthetics are applied to the skin in the form of an elastic adhesive (LIDODERM), which does not irritate the skin. The patch can be applied for pain relief to the most affected areas not more than12 hours.

Preventing pain

It is easier and cheaper to prevent pain than to treat it. In addition to careful control of blood sugar. There are three ways to prevent the occurrence of nerve pain: 

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Diabetes and hearing loss

Diabetes and hearing loss

It may seem surprising, but studies have shown a link between diabetes and hearing loss. Scientist’s analyzed data from a study found that 21% of surveyed patients with diabetes had hearing loss, compared with 9% in non-diabetics. By analyzing the data further, they found that people with hearing loss are also more likely to report that they have diabetes. This was true regardless of age, except for those from 60 to 69 years. Based on these data, the researchers found that there was a 28% incidence of at least a minor hearing loss in people with diabetes. The researchers also found that the association was stronger between diabetes and high-frequency hearing loss than between diabetes and low or medium frequency hearing loss.

Physical changes caused by diabetes

Diabetes can cause many changes in the hearing mechanism.

The ability to hear is dependent on the blood vessels and nerves located in the inner ear. Maintaining a high level of glucose in the blood over an extended period of time facilitates damage to nerves and blood vessels, which leads to the development of deafness.

People with diabetes often have less keratin. The reduced amount of the protein can result in hearing loss.

In addition, the eighth cranial nerve (vestibulocochlear nerve) - one branch which carries audio signals from the cochlea to the brain - may also experience damage to the insulating sheath that protects nerve fibers (demyelination), resulting in sensorineural hearing loss. Also affected tissue in the ear canal, affecting hearing.

Cochlea may be experiencing thickening of their walls, or loss of hair cells. Diabetes can even lead to damage to the nerves associated with hearing; higher levels of sugar in the blood cause a chemical change that affects the ability of the nerves to carry audio signals. Capillaries inner ear may also be densified, causing similar results.

What to do with diabetes?

Due to the abundance of evidence linking hearing loss with diabetes, diabetics must test their hearing regularly, in addition to control of blood sugar. This is important because some experts say that the prevalence of hearing loss in patients with diabetes may be higher than is actually known.

In diabetes prevalent sensorineural hearing loss, which cannot be cured, but unpleasant symptoms can be eliminated through the use of hearing aids. Modern hearing aids are able to make a sound not only louder, but also clearer. They also have an automatic volume control function and eliminate background noise.

Do not be afraid to use hearing aids. Currently, these devices are so compact that will not be noticeable gaze of others. Patients suffering from hearing loss, likely to develop depression and fencing themselves from the real world. Control of the disease and the use of hearing aids allow patients to lead a full life .

Common symptoms of hearing loss are:

1. frequent requests to repeat the statement;
2. Complexity in the perception of the conversation, which involved more than two interlocutors;
3. the impression that others are very quiet;
4. problems of speech recognition in public places;
5. difficulty recognizing voices of women and children;

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Is the glycemic index useful for controlling blood sugar?

Is the glycemic index useful for controlling blood sugar?

Let’s talk about glycemic index first

What is the glycemic index?

The glycemic index or glycaemic index (GI) is a number associated with a particular type of food that indicates the food's effect on a person's blood glucose (also called blood sugar) level.The number typically ranges between 50 and 100, where 100 represents the standard, an equivalent amount of pure glucose.

Choosing products based on the glycemic index

The glycemic index (GI) is classified as low (10-40), medium (40-70) and high (70-100). Patients with diabetes should avoid high-calorie foods, even if their index is small.

The smaller the GIof the product, the slower it is absorbed, and the more smoothly increases blood sugar after consuming this product. In contrast, products with a high GI almost instantaneously increase blood sugar levels. That is, what will be a certain GI of the product depends on several components: the type of carbohydrate (simple or complex), the quantitative content of protein, fat, fiber, and the heat treatment process. 

Knowing this information is vital to patients with diabetes of any type, as it allows to monitor their health, feel good and to avoid complications. Below is a table of some most common products with their respective GI.

Cereals

Product Name	The glycemic index,%
Corn	90-100
Semolina	70-90
Rice	70-90
Wheat	70-90
Millet	70-90
Rolled oats	50-70
Barley	50-70
Buckwheat	50-70
Oatmeal	30-50
Peas	30-50
Pearl	less than 30
Oatmeal	less than 30

Bakery products

Product Name	The glycemic index,%
Pancakes	50-70
Bagels	70-90
Crackers	90-100
Wheat bread	90-100
Rye bread	90-100
Waffles	70-90
Crackers	70-90
Fritters	50-70
Biscuit	70-90
Yeast dough	70-90
Leaven dough	70-90

Poultry eggs

Product Name	The glycemic index,%
Omelets	30-50
Fried egg	30-50
Chicken Broilers, chickens, geese, turkey	less than 30

Veggies

Product Name	The glycemic index,%
Green Peas	50-70
Potatoes	70-90
Cucumbers	less than 30
Turnip	70-90
Beans	30-50
Other Vegetables	less than 30

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Diabetes and depression : How to cope with negative emotional experiences ?

Diabetes and depression

In patients with diabetes always develop some emotional/mental disorders. Especially depressive disorders often seen in older people with type 2 diabetes. Intensity depends on their personal qualities, activity in life, performance. The presence of concomitant diabetes depression interferes with the adaptation of the patient, has a negative impact on the course of the underlying disease, and impairs the performance of medical treatment, including those related to diet, receiving glucose-lowering drugs, of self-control blood sugar levels. The very fact that the diagnosis of diabetes, a disease state, the need for medication and lifestyle changes - all this leads to mental asthenia many patients, decreased quality of life.

How to cope with negative emotional experiences?

Many are advised to make lifestyle changes - to refuse to work overtime, irregular working hours, to try to normalize sleep and wakefulness, alternate periods of work with recreation.

The positive effect of providing an increase in physical activity: walking, some workout in the gym, fitness, swimming, soccer, basketball, tennis. Physical work results in production of endorphin's lead to improved mood.

The food should be varied and full of protein, fat, carbohydrates, vitamins and minerals. Caffeine should be limited, sugary and fatty foods also, plus no alcohol intake, which is depressing. Recommended food are those which are rich in protein. It is necessary to reduce stress by following methods: relaxation, meditation, massage, heat treatments, nature walks and a day in the sun.

Traditionally, the preventive and therapeutic use of vitamins, amino acids and minerals is very helpful. In the human body, these substances induce the synthesis of mediators – which are main carriers of signals in nerve cells. The deficiency of these mediators is associated with mental health disorders. Of particular importance is a hidden deficiency of vitamin B group, antioxidants (vitamins C and E), abnormal levels of magnesium and iron.

Importance of Vitamin B group in mental health in diabetes

The neurotransmitter serotonin is often called "the hormone of happiness" for its formation requires vitamin B6 (pyridoxine). Average concentration of serotonin in the brain causes a good mood, the burst of energy.

Vitamin B1 (thiamine)is required for synthesis of the neurotransmitter called acetylcholine. Its deficiency is manifested by insomnia, depressed mood, memory and intelligence. Niacin (vitamin B3) deficiency is associated with anxiety and fear, anxiety, sadness and depression.

Depressive disorders are common mental disorders are found in patients with diabetes. Depression impede the achievement and maintenance of long-term compensation of diabetes and worsen its prognosis. Despite the fact that the disorder’s depressive nature often necessary to the appointment of special medications, lifestyle changes, vitamin-mineral complexes can bring undeniable benefits, contributing to more effective treatment of diabetes, improve the physical, emotional state, as well as improve the quality of life of patients with diabetes. It is important not to forget that if the suspicions about a possible depression, you must consult a doctor to confirm or refute them.

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