Sticking to your diabetes diet at lunchtime is easier than you think. Here's a week's worth of ideas to keep your midday meal interesting and healthy.
If breakfast is the most neglected meal of the day, lunch can often be the most hurried. Fast-food restaurants and food courts often prevail over more healthy options because we lead such hectic lives. But they don't have to be your only option — and, in fact, they shouldn't be your first choice if you have type 2 diabetes.
In general, try to pack your own lunch whenever possible — the health benefits can be enormous. Short on prep time? Put these quick and nutritious lunch ideas on your diabetes menu to fill you up and keep your blood sugar in check.
1. Salads
Salad should be a part of your lunch menu if you have diabetes. You can create a different salad every day of the week by varying your toppings. Try grilled chicken, shrimp, or fish, but avoid heaping on a lot of fattening ingredients, such as bacon bits and heavy cheeses.
Salads with lots of raw vegetables are best, including carrots, cucumbers, radishes, celery, and spinach. Sprinkle nuts or seeds on top, add a few dried cranberries, and garnish with some avocado chunks to give it zip. Always choose low-fat or fat-free salad dressings or, for a change, flavored vinegars.
2. Sandwiches
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As with salads, there are many ways to spice up a sandwich. Start with whole-grain bread or a whole-wheat tortilla. Add lean meat, such as turkey, ham, or grilled chicken; layer on your choice of veggies; add mustard, low-fat mayo, or hummus to the mix — and you have a filling and tasty lunch. Stay away from greasy chips, French fries, and other fattening sides. Instead choose fruit, a few pretzels, or carrot and celery sticks to complement your meal.
3. Hearty Soups
Soup can be a good option for lunch, with many healthy choices to consider. Chicken noodle, chicken and rice, and tomato (made without cream) are all good soup choices. Others include butternut squash, gazpacho and other chunky vegetable varieties, miso, and pasta and bean soups. Avoid cream-based soups and chowders. Remember, soup freezes well. You can make a large batch and freeze it in individual containers; with a microwave you have a nearly instant lunch.
4. Pasta
As long as you choose whole-grain pasta, you can eat all types of noodles, such as penne, angel hair, or spaghetti. Top it with a healthy tomato sauce, then add chicken, shrimp, or turkey meatballs and a variety of vegetables. Add a crisp salad and you have a healthy and filling lunch.
5. Pizza
Pizza can be a good choice &mash; in moderation. Choose a thin-crust variety, ask for light cheese, and include vegetables as the topping instead of fatty meats like pepperoni.
6. Tuna, Chicken, and Shrimp Salads
When you make these protein-based mixes, you can control the mayonnaise and the good-health factor. Choose low-fat mayonnaise, and not too much of it. Add fiber and bulk with chopped celery, diced bell pepper, and chopped onions to taste. Serve on whole-grain bread or scoop onto a bed of lettuce.
7. Veggie Stir-Fry
For a more exotic lunch, go for a bowl of vegetable stir-fry and brown rice. Avoid the fast-food version, which can be high in fat and sodium, and make it yourself by sautéing the vegetables with a healthy cooking spray and soy sauce. Prepare it the night before for dinner, making enough to bring leftovers for lunch.
More Healthy Lunch Tips for Type 2 Diabetes
To better control type 2 diabetes, keep these tips in mind:
Choose low-fat or fat-free salad dressings and watch how much you use.
Pick whole-grain bread over white bread.
Practice portion control.Follow the diabetes food pyramid: Eat more grains, beans, and starchy vegetables and less fats, sweets, and alcohol. In between and equally divided are protein choices, non-starchy vegetables, fruit, and milk and dairy products.
Choose lean protein sources, such as turkey, ham, chicken, lean roast beef, and fish.
Avoid fried foods.
Stay away from fatty chips and mayonnaise-based salads, like potato salad. Complement your meal with sliced carrots and celery or fruit salad.
If you are craving a sweet after lunch and fresh fruit just won't do, reach for sugar-free, fat-free frozen yogurt. Be careful of sorbets and sherbets that are loaded with sugar.
Avoid sugary beverages; drink water and tea instead.
Consult with a certified diabetes educator or registered dietitian to get more lunch ideas. How much and what types of food you should eat varies, depending on your specific needs — a dietitian can help create a meal plan that is right for you.
Showing posts with label high blood pressure. Show all posts
Showing posts with label high blood pressure. Show all posts
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Saturday, December 11, 2010
Type 1 Diabetes Death Rate is Falling But….
Average rate is still 7 times higher in people with the disease vs. those without it....According to a new study, death rates have dropped significantly in people with Type 1 diabetes. Researchers also found that people diagnosed in the late 1970s have an even lower mortality rate compared with those diagnosed in the 1960s.
The study's senior author, Dr. Trevor J. Orchard, a professor of epidemiology, medicine and pediatrics in the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, stated that, "The encouraging thing is that, given good diabetes control, you can have a near-normal life expectancy."
But, the research also found that mortality rates for people with Type 1 still remain significantly higher than for the general population -- seven times higher, in fact. And some groups, such as women, continue to have disproportionately higher mortality rates: women with Type 1 diabetes are 13 times more likely to die than are their female counterparts without the disease.
Insulin replacement therapy isn't as effective as naturally-produced insulin. People with Type 1 diabetes often have blood sugar levels that are too high or too low, because it's difficult to predict exactly how much insulin you'll need. When blood sugar levels are too high due to too little insulin, it causes damage that can lead to long term complications, such as an increased risk of kidney failure and heart disease. On the other hand, if you have too much insulin, blood sugar levels can drop dangerously low, potentially leading to coma or death.
These factors are why Type 1 diabetes has long been associated with a significantly increased risk of death, and a shortened life expectancy.
However, numerous improvements have been made in Type 1 diabetes management during the past 30 years, including the advent of blood glucose monitors, insulin pumps, newer insulins, better medications to prevent complications and most recently continuous glucose monitors.
To assess whether or not these advances have had any effect on life expectancy, Orchard, along, with his colleagues, reviewed data from a Type 1 diabetes registry from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The registry contained information on almost 1,100 people under the age of 18 at the time they were diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
The children were sorted into three groups based on the year of their diagnosis: 1965 to 1969, 1970 to 1974 and 1975 to 1979. As of January 2008, 279 of the study participants had died, a death rate that is 7 times higher than would be expected in the general population.
When the researchers broke the mortality rate down by the time of diagnosis, they found that those diagnosed later had a much improved mortality rate. The group diagnosed in the 1960s had a 9.3 times higher mortality rate than the general population, while the early 1970s group had a 7.5 times higher mortality than the general population. For the late 1970s group, mortality had dropped to 5.6 times higher than the general population.
The mortality rate in women with Type 1 diabetes remained significantly higher, however, at 13 times the rate expected in women in the general population.
In addition, blacks with diabetes had a significantly lower 30-year survival rate than their white counterparts -- 57 percent versus 83 percent, according to the study.
Although Orchard said it isn't clear why women and blacks have higher-than-expected mortality, Barbara Araneo, director of complications therapies at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, said that both discrepancies have been found in other research, and that one theory is that blacks may have a greater genetic susceptibility to heart disease or high blood pressure. And, for women, she said previous research has shown that, "women with diabetes lose their innate protection against [heart disease], similar to the loss sustained in postmenopausal phases of life." But, she said, it's not clear how diabetes causes this loss.
The overall message of the study, however, is a positive one.
"The outcome of this study shows that diabetes care has improved in many ways over the last couple of decades, and as a result people with diabetes are living longer now," said Araneo, adding, "Managing and taking good care of your diabetes is the surest way to reduce the risk of developing complications later in life."
"What we're seeing now is incredibly encouraging, but it's not necessarily the full story yet," said Orchard, who noted that improvements in diabetes care should continue to lower mortality rates in people with Type 1 diabetes.
The study's senior author, Dr. Trevor J. Orchard, a professor of epidemiology, medicine and pediatrics in the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, stated that, "The encouraging thing is that, given good diabetes control, you can have a near-normal life expectancy."
But, the research also found that mortality rates for people with Type 1 still remain significantly higher than for the general population -- seven times higher, in fact. And some groups, such as women, continue to have disproportionately higher mortality rates: women with Type 1 diabetes are 13 times more likely to die than are their female counterparts without the disease.
Insulin replacement therapy isn't as effective as naturally-produced insulin. People with Type 1 diabetes often have blood sugar levels that are too high or too low, because it's difficult to predict exactly how much insulin you'll need. When blood sugar levels are too high due to too little insulin, it causes damage that can lead to long term complications, such as an increased risk of kidney failure and heart disease. On the other hand, if you have too much insulin, blood sugar levels can drop dangerously low, potentially leading to coma or death.
These factors are why Type 1 diabetes has long been associated with a significantly increased risk of death, and a shortened life expectancy.
However, numerous improvements have been made in Type 1 diabetes management during the past 30 years, including the advent of blood glucose monitors, insulin pumps, newer insulins, better medications to prevent complications and most recently continuous glucose monitors.
To assess whether or not these advances have had any effect on life expectancy, Orchard, along, with his colleagues, reviewed data from a Type 1 diabetes registry from Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. The registry contained information on almost 1,100 people under the age of 18 at the time they were diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes.
The children were sorted into three groups based on the year of their diagnosis: 1965 to 1969, 1970 to 1974 and 1975 to 1979. As of January 2008, 279 of the study participants had died, a death rate that is 7 times higher than would be expected in the general population.
When the researchers broke the mortality rate down by the time of diagnosis, they found that those diagnosed later had a much improved mortality rate. The group diagnosed in the 1960s had a 9.3 times higher mortality rate than the general population, while the early 1970s group had a 7.5 times higher mortality than the general population. For the late 1970s group, mortality had dropped to 5.6 times higher than the general population.
The mortality rate in women with Type 1 diabetes remained significantly higher, however, at 13 times the rate expected in women in the general population.
In addition, blacks with diabetes had a significantly lower 30-year survival rate than their white counterparts -- 57 percent versus 83 percent, according to the study.
Although Orchard said it isn't clear why women and blacks have higher-than-expected mortality, Barbara Araneo, director of complications therapies at the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, said that both discrepancies have been found in other research, and that one theory is that blacks may have a greater genetic susceptibility to heart disease or high blood pressure. And, for women, she said previous research has shown that, "women with diabetes lose their innate protection against [heart disease], similar to the loss sustained in postmenopausal phases of life." But, she said, it's not clear how diabetes causes this loss.
The overall message of the study, however, is a positive one.
"The outcome of this study shows that diabetes care has improved in many ways over the last couple of decades, and as a result people with diabetes are living longer now," said Araneo, adding, "Managing and taking good care of your diabetes is the surest way to reduce the risk of developing complications later in life."
"What we're seeing now is incredibly encouraging, but it's not necessarily the full story yet," said Orchard, who noted that improvements in diabetes care should continue to lower mortality rates in people with Type 1 diabetes.
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Fearful of Complications
Q: I've had type 1 diabetes since I was a kid (I'm now 42). It's well controlled, but lately I'm starting to be really anxious about complications. What can I do to save myself from all the scary things that can happen to me as I get older?
– Brooke
A: Let me start by congratulating you on controlling your blood sugar — it is extremely important to your health. The discipline with which you've controlled your type 1 diabetes thus far, and close collaboration with your doctor, will surely help reduce your risk of worrisome complications.
Over the last several years, a number of studies have shown us that diabetes-related complications are the consequence of both poor glucose control and conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The latter are associated with advancing age, genetic risk, and an unhealthy lifestyle. As long as you continue to control your blood sugar, with close follow-up from your doctor, then concentrating on lifestyle factors is the best way to improve your odds of avoiding complications.
As you grow older, regular exercise and ideal body weight maintenance become increasingly important components of diabetes care, blood pressure control, and lipid (cholesterol) management. Having a sustained normal or near-normal glucose level, blood pressure below 120/80, and a low cholesterol level (low-density lipoprotein level below 100 mg/dl) will stave off bad outcomes.
Besides home glucose monitoring, keep track of your glycosylated hemoglobin (hemoglobin A1c) level. Levels below 7 percent are associated with reduced complications — I prefer maintaining this level closer to 6 percent. Other risk factors you can change through exercise and a healthful diet include a high triglyceride level and a reduced level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C). A triglyceride level below 150 mg/dl and an HDL-C level above 40 mg/dl are associated with better health outcomes.
As an adult over age 40, you might be able to take daily aspirin, which considerably reduces cardiovascular risk. Do seek the advice of your doctor on this and other specific treatment and monitoring recommendations. Most important, if you use tobacco, stop. Quitting smoking is the single most critical step you will ever take toward preventing many of the diabetes-related complications.
– Brooke
A: Let me start by congratulating you on controlling your blood sugar — it is extremely important to your health. The discipline with which you've controlled your type 1 diabetes thus far, and close collaboration with your doctor, will surely help reduce your risk of worrisome complications.
Over the last several years, a number of studies have shown us that diabetes-related complications are the consequence of both poor glucose control and conditions such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol. The latter are associated with advancing age, genetic risk, and an unhealthy lifestyle. As long as you continue to control your blood sugar, with close follow-up from your doctor, then concentrating on lifestyle factors is the best way to improve your odds of avoiding complications.
As you grow older, regular exercise and ideal body weight maintenance become increasingly important components of diabetes care, blood pressure control, and lipid (cholesterol) management. Having a sustained normal or near-normal glucose level, blood pressure below 120/80, and a low cholesterol level (low-density lipoprotein level below 100 mg/dl) will stave off bad outcomes.
Besides home glucose monitoring, keep track of your glycosylated hemoglobin (hemoglobin A1c) level. Levels below 7 percent are associated with reduced complications — I prefer maintaining this level closer to 6 percent. Other risk factors you can change through exercise and a healthful diet include a high triglyceride level and a reduced level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C). A triglyceride level below 150 mg/dl and an HDL-C level above 40 mg/dl are associated with better health outcomes.
As an adult over age 40, you might be able to take daily aspirin, which considerably reduces cardiovascular risk. Do seek the advice of your doctor on this and other specific treatment and monitoring recommendations. Most important, if you use tobacco, stop. Quitting smoking is the single most critical step you will ever take toward preventing many of the diabetes-related complications.
Thursday, December 2, 2010
How Will You Stop Diabetes®? The Future Is in Your Hands.
During the holidays, we joke that our belts are a little tight around the waist. But for PJ, his tight belt was no laughing matter.
"I kept thinking 'I ought to lose weight,'" he shared.
Returning home from a baseball game one day, PJ experienced tingling in his hands and feet. "I thought that was odd. So the next day, I checked my blood glucose and my jaw dropped because it was so high. I checked the next day in disbelief, and it was still elevated."
"Right then and there, I thought 'My toes at 60. There is NO WAY I was going to lose my toes at 60.'"
Once PJ was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the tight belt became the focus of his attention. "I sucked it up, started to exercise and eat right and lost 30 pounds over 4 months. My glucose dropped and has remained low for 5 years. I even had to put a new hole in my belt!"
"Now I watch my diet and exercise 4 days a week. Keeping my 30 pounds off is challenging. I hate it, but it works! I do it for my toes. I do it for my brain, heart, kidneys, eyes and ultimately, my family. I thank God for the kick in the butt to check my blood glucose that day."
Developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be a challenge any time of the year, but especially during the holidays. During American Diabetes Month® this November, join the movement to Stop Diabetes® and download your very own Celebrations Survival Guide. Get tips to handle the holidays and avoid tight belts this Thanksgiving season.
"I kept thinking 'I ought to lose weight,'" he shared.
Returning home from a baseball game one day, PJ experienced tingling in his hands and feet. "I thought that was odd. So the next day, I checked my blood glucose and my jaw dropped because it was so high. I checked the next day in disbelief, and it was still elevated."
"Right then and there, I thought 'My toes at 60. There is NO WAY I was going to lose my toes at 60.'"
Once PJ was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, the tight belt became the focus of his attention. "I sucked it up, started to exercise and eat right and lost 30 pounds over 4 months. My glucose dropped and has remained low for 5 years. I even had to put a new hole in my belt!"
"Now I watch my diet and exercise 4 days a week. Keeping my 30 pounds off is challenging. I hate it, but it works! I do it for my toes. I do it for my brain, heart, kidneys, eyes and ultimately, my family. I thank God for the kick in the butt to check my blood glucose that day."
Developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle can be a challenge any time of the year, but especially during the holidays. During American Diabetes Month® this November, join the movement to Stop Diabetes® and download your very own Celebrations Survival Guide. Get tips to handle the holidays and avoid tight belts this Thanksgiving season.
Friday, August 20, 2010
Vascular Testing: An Important Step in Preventing Amputation in Diabetics and Others with Poor Circulation
Adequate circulation to the lower legs and feet is a key factor in avoiding amputations to these areas. Current medical research shows that non-invasive vascular testing greatly increases the accuracy of diagnosing early arterial disease (a.k.a. peripheral vascular disease or PVD).
In the past, early arterial disease was detected simply by “feeling” the pulses of the arteries to the feet and legs. Studies show that up to 1/3 of patients with early arterial disease have no signs or symptoms of the disease on physical examination.
Doppler ultrasound technology allows physicians to more accurately assess the circulation to the feet and legs. This technology allows the physician to hear the arteries, as well as provides a graphical interpretation of the function of the individual arteries. Diseased arteries sound different, and the graphic wave forms are different than in healthy arteries. Doppler examination of the arteries to the feet and legs is fast, accurate, pain free, and can be performed in the physician’s office.
Signs of poor circulation to the feet & legs include: cold feet and toes, cramping to the feet and legs when walking, pain to the top of the feet at night, thin and shiny skin to the feet and legs, deformed toenails, loss of hair to the toes, and slow healing of minor wounds to the feet and legs.
Risk factors for PVD include: diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and advanced age. Early detection of PVD is the key to avoiding complications such as non-healing wounds, infection, and amputations of the feet and legs.
In the past, early arterial disease was detected simply by “feeling” the pulses of the arteries to the feet and legs. Studies show that up to 1/3 of patients with early arterial disease have no signs or symptoms of the disease on physical examination.
Doppler ultrasound technology allows physicians to more accurately assess the circulation to the feet and legs. This technology allows the physician to hear the arteries, as well as provides a graphical interpretation of the function of the individual arteries. Diseased arteries sound different, and the graphic wave forms are different than in healthy arteries. Doppler examination of the arteries to the feet and legs is fast, accurate, pain free, and can be performed in the physician’s office.
Signs of poor circulation to the feet & legs include: cold feet and toes, cramping to the feet and legs when walking, pain to the top of the feet at night, thin and shiny skin to the feet and legs, deformed toenails, loss of hair to the toes, and slow healing of minor wounds to the feet and legs.
Risk factors for PVD include: diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and advanced age. Early detection of PVD is the key to avoiding complications such as non-healing wounds, infection, and amputations of the feet and legs.
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