Cardiovascular Disease What Is the Connection with Pre or Diabetes?

According to a study conducted by the American Heart Association, diabetes or prediabetes is one of the seven controllable risk factors triggering cardiac diseases. Adults suffering from diabetes are two to four times likely to die of a cardiac disease than others.
Prediabetes or diabetes is treatable provided proper preventive measures and care is taken. However, even when your blood sugar levels are in control, you are at a great risk of stroke or cardiac diseases. This is because patients suffering from type 2 diabetes may have the following conditions which can trigger heart diseases.
High blood pressure
Hypertension or high blood pressure is considered to be a major catalyst for developing heart diseases. As per studies, there is a direct correlation between insulin resistance and cardiac ailments. When a patient suffers from diabetes and hypertension, the risk of cardiovascular diseases increases.
High Cholesterol
Diabetic patients often have unhealthy cholesterol levels. The poor lipid counts denote that a premature heart disease may be underway. Moreover lipid disorders are linked to insulin resistance in patients with diabetes.
Obesity
Obesity is one of the primary factors linked to insulin resistance and cardiac diseases. Adopting a healthier lifestyle and weight loss can minimize your chances of getting a cardiac disease along with increasing your insulin sensitivity. Moreover, obesity and insulin resistance can also lead to hypertension.
Little to No Physical Activity
Lack of physical activity is another important risk factor that can cause insulin resistance, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, cardiac arrest, stroke and blood pressure. All of this can be regulated through weight loss and exercise. Likewise, adopting healthy physical activities such as mopping, dancing, aerobics, swimming, etc. are also beneficial for your overall well-being.
Hence, patients with prediabetes or diabetes need to take good care and adopt a healthy lifestyle to combat cardiac ailments. The connection between both the diseases is evident.

Good Carbs, Bad Carbs, How to Tell the Difference

Carbohydrates, also known as carbs are the source of energy for our body. They are important for those adopting a healthier lifestyle. One should never cut off carbs completely from their diet, but it is important to understand that not all carbs are healthy.

Carbohydrates can be divided into two classes; simple or bad carbs and complex or good carb. The categorization is done on the basis of their chemical composition and the bodily response.

So, What Are Good Carbs?

Good carbohydrates possess the following qualities, making them a healthy alternative:

  • They are rich in nutrients.
  • They have low caloric intake. This means that you can consume generous
  • amounts without exceeding your daily caloric intake.
  • They are low in sodium and saturated fats.
  • They do not cause cholesterol.
  • They are rich in natural fiber that helps in regulating blood sugar levels and cholesterol. Moreover, they also help in weight loss, reducing bloating and constipation.
  • They are not processed.

Processed or refined sugary foods constitute 20% of our average caloric intake. This is a major area of concern since our body absorbs such carbohydrates which adversely affects our health. Regular consumption of refined sugar can cause type 2 diabetes.

Now, What Are Bad Carbs?

Bad carbohydrates possess the following qualities making them an unhealthy choice:

  • They are low in essential nutrients.
  • They have high white sugar content such as honey and juices.
  • They are low in fiber.
  • They are high in saturated fat and trans-fat.
  • They often have high sodium content.
  • Bad carbs can cause cholesterol.

Bad Carbs vs Good Carbs

The aforementioned points clearly indicate that good carbs are integral for our overall well-being. On the contrary, bard cabs need to be avoided for improved vitality and health.
Many health professionals link regular consumption of bad carbohydrates to fatal ailments such as diabetes and cardiac related issues.

Women With PCOS…What’s the Connection to Diabetes?

Over the past couple of years, many healthcare professionals have been suspecting a connection between polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and type 2 diabetes. Many experts now consider both the conditions to be correlated.
PCOS is a female endocrine disorder that increases the androgen levels within the systems. The disruption can lead to an irregular menstrual cycle, acne, obesity and excessive hair growth. Moreover, it also affects a woman’s fertility. The condition can be detected through an ovarian ultrasound.
The primary cause of PCOS is still unknown. However, insulin resistance, genetics and inflammation may be responsible for the condition. In the United States, almost 5 to 10 percent of women are suffering from PCOS.
The Connection between PCOS and Diabetes:
According to a few studies, insulin resistance can result in an adverse reaction in the immune system that triggers type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is a medical condition where the body cells either become insulin resistant or an insufficient amount of insulin is produced in the body. By maintaining a proper diet and exercising regularly, it is possible to manage type 2 diabetes. However, research indicates that PCOS can trigger diabetes. Additionally, women suffering from PCOS are at a higher risk of developing diabetes and heart problems.
Does Treating One Benefit The Other?
To fight obesity and type 2 diabetes, it is important to exercise regularly to keep the body healthy as weight loss helps in combating PCOS. Moreover, exercise helps in burning excess fat and increases the sensitivity of cells to insulin. Therefore, body cells start to absorb insulin which helps patients suffering from diabetes and PCOS.
Consuming a balanced and hormone free diet helps in reducing diabetes and also manages weight loss.
It needs to be noted that certain treatments for both the diseases may not complement one another. For instance, women with PCOS are given birth control pills to clear acne and regularize menstruation. However, some birth control pills can increase blood sugar levels which can cause problems for patients with diabetes.
Hence, your medical professional can customize a treatment that complements both diseases for better and targeted results.

Occasional Setback? 5 Tips On How to Stick To Your Diet.

All individuals aspiring to lose weight start a diet with the best intention, however, it is easy to get off-track as time passes by. We either get occupied with life or the motivation is gone. No matter, how big the setback is, you need to brush off the misery and focus on your goals. Whether you want to lose weight, workout regularly or adopt a healthier lifestyle, these small yet significant changes will help you in sticking to your diet:
1. Imagine Yourself Achieving The Goal
Adapting to lifestyle change can be overwhelming. However, the end result is worth the effort. Imagine you weighing lesser, having a toned physique or healthy habits. Therefore, whenever you feel that you have lost your motivation, start focusing on the final goal.

2. Monitor Your Weight
Giving up on your comfy bed or avoiding a slice of pizza may not sound like the ideal bargain. However, when you are relying on your willpower to do something, focus on the long-term reward. If that is not enough, weigh yourself. If the weighing machine triggers you, then you ought to pursue your diet.

3. Be Accountable
Try to set small achievable milestones. It is a good idea to confide in a loved one, tell them about your goals and report your progress to him/her. For some people, accountability helps in staying on track. Moreover, you can also join support groups of like-minded people to help you stay motivated and focused.

4. Customize Your Diet Plan
Many people consider diet food to be bland. However, that is not the case. By following the same monotonous diet, many people tend to get bored. You can experiment with new recipes and improvise your diet. By preparing healthy meals, you will have the right motivation to continue your diet.

5. Make Your Goals Attainable
No matter what your goal is, it is important to break it down into smaller achievable goals. If you plan to go on a diet, take one step at a time. For instance, start avoiding sugary foods, reduce portion size, avoid fizzy drinks, etc. When you succeed in achieving one milestone, move onto the next. This will help you to stay motivated.

How Vital Is An Exercise Routine?

You might have heard how exercising contributes positively to your health and well being. However, another important benefit of a good exercise routine is that it can make you feel ‘lighter’ and more active. Essentially, it is hard to ignore the various health benefits of exercising. All individuals, irrespective of age or gender, can benefit from a healthier lifestyle and an effective exercise routine.
Do you need further convincing for adopting an exercise routine? Here is how vital exercise can be for a healthier and happier you:
Regulates your body weight
A good exercise routine can help you in achieving weight loss and reaching your ideal weight through burning calories effectively. It is the intensity of your routine which determines the actual number of calories burnt.
Going to the gym regularly is great. However if you are short on time for whatsoever reason, do not worry. Instead of exercising regularly, you can choose to be more active throughout the day. For instance, instead of taking the elevator, take the stairs to shed extra pounds. However, in order to control your body weight, it is important to know that consistency is vital. Hence, maintaining an exercise routine can be an essential part of ensuring effective weight loss.
Fights off diseases
A well-planned exercise routine helps you in fighting off different types of diseases and health conditions. Whether you are worried about your heart or trying to maintain your blood pressure, it is necessary to remain active throughout the day. Irrespective of your current weight, daily physical activity will help in boosting high-density lipoprotein (HDL), maintaining cholesterol level and reducing harmful triglycerides.
Cardiovascular workouts are essential for maintaining healthy blood circulation which can reduce the risk of many diseases. An effective exercise routine will help you to prevent or minimize the risk of several health conditions and diseases such as stroke, metabolic syndrome, diabetes, different types of cancer and arthritis.
Feels better
A gym session or any physical activity such as a 30-minute walk or jogging session can help you feel much better – both physically and mentally. Whether you need an emotional lift or wish to relax after a hectic day, an effective exercise routine can help you feel better instantly.

Adjust To the Lifestyle Change of Pre-diabetes

Prediabetes is a pre-diagnosis or an indicator of diabetes. It can be considered as an early diagnosis and warning which allows patients to start taking precautionary measures. For people with this problem, their average blood sugar level is higher than the standard baseline but not high enough to be labeled as diabetes. Hence, prediabetes is an indication that you may develop type-2 diabetes if you do not make the necessary changes in your lifestyle.
If you are a prediabetic, you can easily prevent the problem from developing into type-2 diabetes. All you have to do is change your lifestyle. Start eating healthy food, exercise regularly to ensure that you do not gain excess weight, maintain weight loss and stay physically active.
The process of developing diabetes can be slow. In the prediabetic stage, you might not feel the symptoms of diabetes at all. In the early stages, you may lose weight, feel fatigue or eat more than usual.
There are many reasons why you can develop prediabetes or type-2 diabetes. These include lack of physical activities, family history, age, weight and/or other health problems. Irrespective of the reason, if you are a prediabetic, you can easily prevent type-2 diabetes with some serious lifestyle changes. For example:
It is essential to maintain a healthy and proper diet which can help maintain good blood glucose levels. You can consult a certified diabetes educator (CDE) or a registered dietitian (RD) to come up with a meal plan which effectively controls your blood sugar levels.
Regular physical activities will help you to control body weight, prevent excess weight gain and maintain weight loss. According to research, individuals who lost nearly 7% of their weight by exercising had a lesser chance of developing type-2 diabetes.
One of the major reasons for developing prediabetes or diabetes is being overweight. Hence, it is necessary to lose weight in order to reduce the risk of developing type-2 diabetes. Initially, aim to lose at least 5-10% of your weight and don’t forget to maintain weight loss.

My First Warning.

There was a time when I would not necessarily skip a meal but hold off from eating for a while and get away with it but one time I was somewhere at a very long meeting didn’t have anything to eat then suddenly I started feeling kind of awful. I thought to myself ‘could it be? Naw!’ But when time went on I notice my tolerance to skipping was get low. Then it just so happens I had to go to the doctor for some other reason, and they did the typical a blood work. And the doctor came back with a concerned look on her face and told me my blood sugar was high and if it hasn’t improved the next time she sees me she going put me on medication. “Really?” I should have taken it more serious back then, but for some reason, until this day I have been fortunate not to have gone full blown diabetic. Now I’m on metformin and very close to being at 6.5. It scares me even though to eating habits are hard to break I’ve been taking it more seriously and trying to eat better. Got me some diet literature and exercise plan that I definitely have to live by at this moment. Can’t look back what I should’ve done just have to do something now.