Belly Monster Blog

Studies come and go. But here’s one that got my attention. Published in Value in Health magazine the newly released study goes beyond the feared blindness, kidney failure, and amputations warnings and notes that a typical adult diabetic (age 20 -49) are almost four times more likely to be hospitalized than their non-diabetic counterparts. FOUR TIMES!

No one wants to go to the hospital

This new information is sobering because it brings together all of the complications that diabetics face into a single figure showing just how dangerous our foe really is. Hospitalization not only means discomfort and disease progression is strikes at our bank accounts and drains our productivity. No one wants to take time to go to the hospital. Add that to the concern of hospital acquired illnesses and medical mistakes and the hospital is the last place you want to be.

A bed in a hospital is also the place where the bad news comes about the progression of uncontrolled diabetes. God made the human body so that it will repair itself from many assaults. But over time it will eventually break down. When it does the hospital is the destination.

Diabetes can be controlled

The good news is that diabetes is controllable if not curable. Present therapies are aimed at avoiding many of the terrible consequences of the disease. Unlike many pathologies, the patient really is in charge and makes key decisions every day about foods and about exercise. Through careful planning and focused energies, the complications can largely be avoided.

I don’t want to be in the hospital. Do you?

Tell me, what scares you the most about diabetes?

January 15th, 2009 | Tags: diabetes | Category: diabetes | Leave a comment

High fasting blood sugars are not good. Supposedly that number, usually taken upon first rising in the morning, is the low of the day. But have you ever noticed that your fasting sugar is sometimes higher than the one you took at bedtime? It makes you wonder if you’ve been eating in your sleep.

Actually, it is not uncommon and really is a normal bodily response to your daily rhythms. It could be something called the Dawn Phenomenon or something termed the Somogyi Effect. Both can be handled fairly easily. The trick is to determine which you have.

Theresa Garnero has an excellent article on high fasting blood sugars at the dLife site. I suggest you read it carefully as it will reduce the concern and confusion.

Of course, it is possible that high fasting blood sugars are occurring from run of the mill poor control. That is an issue which only you can answer.  That problem would either be related to poor medical control which is a subject you should talk to your diabetes educator about, or poor personal control. For that, speak to the guy in the mirror. In any case, Garnero has some good information so take a look.

January 14th, 2009 | Tags: diabetes | Category: diabetes | Leave a comment

So you have just been diagnosed with diabetes? Unbelievable isn’t it? Such a diagnosis brings all kinds of feelings including confusion, anger, fear and even denial. Whatever your emotions are it is time to take charge and control your diabetes before it controls you. Here are five tips to help take back control.

1.       Deal With Diabetes Now

Nobody wants to hear that they have a health condition especially one like diabetes. Some will try and put it out of their minds and give little or no thought to the condition and its terrible consequences. But you have a choice. Stop denying and start controlling your condition. Every day that passes without good blood sugar control is another day surrendered to diabetes. Denial coupled with whining and crying about your condition does absolutely nothing to improve your life.

2.       Learn All You Can About Diabetes

The single greatest tool you have to combat diabetes is education. This is a disease process that responds well to knowledge. There are innumerable resources at your disposal. One of the best is the American Diabetes Society. You’ll find many articles about blood sugar control at their site along with frequently updated information about research and new approaches to lifestyle management. Another is NutritionData.com. Here you will find highly detailed data on the foods you eat including many restaurant and fast food entries. You might be surprised at what you find here about your favorite foods!

3.       Build Your Relationship With Your Diabetes Doctor

The next several months will be an important time as you and your physician developed a personalized plan to treat your elevated blood sugars. It is likely that you will see many adjustments made to your medications and frequent blood tests to ensure that you are on the right track. It is essential that you keep a careful record of all blood sugar tests made at home. Take these with you and share them with your doctor. Whatever you do, do not sugar-coat (pun intended) your numbers. He needs to see precisely how you are doing so he can adjust your treatment accordingly.  Make a note of any problems you experience too. Any illness, nausea, light-headiness or clammy feelings are very important. We also recommend keeping a notepad nearby to record all questions you have in between your visits. Ask for answers when you meet.

4.       Make Small Dietary Changes Now to Improve Your Diabetes

I like to eat. I enjoy the taste, the smell, the texture and the sight of food. Yet I needed to make some adjustments. Nothing earth shattering, just some tweaks to help bring my numbers in line. By making some small changes in your diet now, you will develop better habits and likely reduce your weight which will probably help your blood sugar numbers decrease.

For example, I used to drink close to a 1/2 gallon of skim milk a day. I love milk. I decreased my milk to about 16 ounces a day and am fully satisfied. The change? I stopped drinking out of a large glass and I only drink milk at breakfast or at snack time. Not a big deal - really! Make small changes now and develop good habits that can lead you out of the diabetes quagmire.

5.       Increase Your Activity to Slow Diabetes

More and more research is confirming the importance of exercise and activity to stabilize blood sugar levels. A gym membership is not required! Begin by taking the talk on a quick walk around the block once a day. In a week, lengthen your walk or add a second walk. The more you do the better but you do not have to look like a tanned Greek god or goddess to help fight diabetes. The great side effect is that you reduce your weight which tends to make your body more susceptible to the insulin you produce.

I found that a walk shortly before bedtime helps me rest better and seems to have a good impact on my fasting sugar level the next morning.

Diabetes is real and it is a terrible disease when left unchecked. Its complications are well known and include loss of vision, loss of limbs, loss of stroke as well as heart and brain complications. However - and here is the really good news - when controlled properly, many, if not all, of the complications vanish. Of course every patient is unique but don’t you owe it to yourself to fight this battle and save yourself a life of trouble? Sure you do!  So get started now!

Your comments are always welcomed.

January 12th, 2009 | Tags: diabetes | Category: diabetes | Leave a comment

Diabetics carefully watch their intake of carbohydrates to ensure they don’t overwhelm their bodies with too much sugar. A careful diet leads to better serum glucose control and can reduce or even eliminate the complications of chronic high blood sugars.

Like so many people I began the New Year with a renewed plan to tighten my glucose control and drop a few pounds…ok…a lot of pounds. I’ve actually done well so far with one big exception.

Glucose Waiting

Coming home for a lunch I found myself hungry and in a hurry. That’s a terrible combination for a diabetic. Instead of fixing a sandwich on whole grain bread with some lean turkey I opted to grab a so-called “healthy” meal out of the freezer. At only about 350 calories it couldn’t be bad for me. Into the microwave and into my belly it went. Later when I checked my sugar I was up to almost 300! What happened? My tight control was swirling down the drain!?!?

A quick run to the garbage can More »

January 11th, 2009 | Tags: diabetes, diet, glucose | Category: diabetes | Leave a comment

You’re here because you need to loose weight and you are hoping for some quick weight loss tips. We will offer you 10 in hopes of helping your health.

Quick Weight Loss Tips #1 Decide

That may sound simplistic but many people have no clear reason for weight loss. Maybe you say you need to loose weight to look better. Be specific. What needs to look better? Belly, hips, thighs? Maybe you think you face is too fat. Say it everyday to remind yourself why you are dieting.

Perhaps you are worried about your health. What about your health? Is you blood pressure too high? Cholesterol up or blood sugars rising? Say it and be specific.

Quick Weight Loss Tips #2 Aim

If a man has no idea where he is going he will probably get there. More »

September 17th, 2008 | Tags: diet, Personal Weight Loss, quick weight loss tips, Weight Loss | Category: Blogs, Fiber, Personal Weight Loss, Weight Loss | Comments (4)

Salt worries many health conscious people. It’s not so much the element itself but the sometimes massive amounts that Americans ingest day after day. Common table salt is an excellent spice for most people when consumed moderately.

Why Is Salt Important?

A large crystal of salt

Common table salt is a compound or combination of two elements, sodium (Na) and chloride (Cl). Together, these two elements combine (NaCl) to give us the unique taste we enjoy. On a more important level, Sodium Chloride provides the body with two important chemicals which contribute to good health.

Sodium is the predominate electrolyte found outside the cells of the human body. In the blood, sodium remains in a fairly small normal range of 135-145 mEq/dl. It is uncommon, in an otherwise healthy person, for sodium to be outside of that range for long.

The body has several mechanisms to maintain that level of sodium including either retaining or excreting water via the kidneys. When you take in a lot of salt, maybe after eating a big bag of chips, the kidney’s will retain water in order to keep the blood adequately diluted and thus maintain the proper range of sodium. Drinking large amounts of water can More »

September 13th, 2008 | Tags: health, salt, sodium | Category: Nutrition | Comments (2)

I know there are plenty of people who want to tell you how to loose weight. Much of the information is poorly organized and not too helpful. However, I found a post that may be useful to your efforts. I think it contins some valuble information.

Read the piece here.

September 11th, 2008 | Tags: Weight Loss | Category: Weight Loss | Leave a comment

I love everything about mayonnaise. I love the taste, I love the texture, I love what it does to two pieces of bread and a slice of tomato. Mayonnaise rocks!

Of course I do not like what mayonnaise does to my blood work, my weight or my waistline. It’s a great tasting condiment but wicked as an unhealthy product. It is almost a pure fat made of oil and eggs. Some seasonings are added along with vinegar and usually a little lemon juice to add a zing.

It doesn’t take much to really start to show. Only 1 tablespoon (about right for that tomato sandwich) shows up as 90 calories and 10 grams of fat. If you use a little on a sandwich and a little more in the evening for a salad dressing and maybe another sandwich somewhere else during the day you are up to almost 300 calories and 30 grams. That’s a lot.

Options exist however. The most obvious is to use less. Most sandwiches will do well with only a touch of mayo - less than a teaspoon - which will drop the caloric value to about 30.

A second option is to choose one of the so-called light or fat free products. Hellman’s Low Fat product is sharply reduced at only 15 calories per tablespoon and a single gram of fat. But Be warned. There is a substantial taste difference between their “real” product and the low fat.

Another option is the appearance of light mayonnaise made with healthy oils like canola oils instead of soybean oil. The canola based mayonnaise contains about half of the trans fat as the real and is made with no cholesterol. Calories are 45, about 1/2 the usual. As for me, the canola based mayo is a good choice between the fat free and the real. Try it, I think you will like it.

Here’s a link to someone really passionate about mayonnaise. She’s from South Africa.

Here’s another. I can really identify with her ideas about SLATHERING on the mayo.

September 11th, 2008 | Tags: mayonnaise, Product Reviews | Category: Product Reviews | Leave a comment

From time to time certain books make a real impact on me. Frederic Delavier’s Strength Training Anatomy is one such volume that has proven very useful to me. At 144 pages, this book is essentially a anatomical atlas of the human musculo-skeletal system. If you are new to strength training, you will find this book helpfu in clearly identifying both the muscle group and the exercise to strengthen and tone it.

For me, it’s useful to visualize what I am doing as I exercise. Delavier’s book is the perfect tool for doing just that. He breaks the book into sections so if you are trying to tighten those abs, you can focus on just that region and see the appropriate exercises.

I think so highly os this book that when I loaned my first copy to someone who lost it, I immediately bought a second copy. This will be a useful addition to your health training library.

September 8th, 2008 | Tags: book review, strength training | Category: Product Reviews | Leave a comment