Pregnancy (Diabetes during Pregnancy) is a wondrous and exciting time. Itís a time of change, both physically and emotionally. With the proper attention and prenatal medical care, most women with diabetes can enjoy their pregnancies and welcome a healthy baby into their lives.
Why Tight Blood Sugar Control Is Critically Important for women with Diabetes During Pregnancy
Blood sugar control is important from the first week of pregnancy all the way until delivery. Organogenesis takes place in the first trimester. Uncontrolled blood sugar during the early weeks of pregnancy increases the risk of miscarriage, and birth defects. (Women donít develop gestational diabetes until later in pregnancy, which means they don’t share these early pregnancy risks.)
Later in the pregnancy, uncontrolled blood sugar levels can cause fetal macrosomia, which may lead to shoulder dystocia, fractures, and the need for Cesarean section deliveries. Very high blood sugar levels can increase the risk of stillbirth.
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It’s time to learn about the factors and relationship between weight and diabetes that may be standing between a person living with diabetes and a healthier weight. In this piece, we will talk about why weight matters when managing diabetes.
What is the link between type 2 diabetes and body weight?
Diabetes and obesity are closely related. Excess body weight should be taken seriously and is just one risk factor for type 2 diabetes, along with your family history, diet, physical activity level and more.
While it is true that obesity can lead to diabetes, it is important to understand the link between insulin and weight. Insulin plays a role in regulating blood sugar levels and converting food energy into fat. It also helps break down fats and proteins. During digestion, insulin stimulates muscle, fat, and liver cells to absorb glucose. The cells either use this glucose for energy or convert it into fat for long-term storage. Eating more calories than the body needs will lead to excess glucose levels. If the cells do not remove glucose from the blood, the body will store it in the tissues as fat resulting in weight gain.
Understanding insulin resistance
The American Diabetes Association explains that people with insulin resistance, also known as impaired insulin sensitivity, have a built up a tolerance to insulin, making the hormone less effective. As a result, more insulin is needed to persuade fat and muscle cells to take up glucose and the liver to continue to store it.
The problem is that When you have type 2 diabetes, your body isn’t as receptive to insulin as it once was. This means that the insulin can’t filter out the glucose in your blood. Our bodies respond by making more insulin to combat this. Insulin also works to promote fat storage and block the release of fat from fat storage. So instead of losing weight, you keep gaining, thanks to all that insulin. The American Diabetes Association continues to explain that this is why people with type 2 diabetes tend to have elevated levels of circulating insulin. Over time, insulin resistance can get worse, and the pancreatic beta cells that make insulin can wear out. Eventually, the pancreas no longer produces enough insulin to overcome the cells’ resistance. The result is higher blood sugar levels, and ultimately prediabetes or type 2 diabetes.
Now if a person is identified as being pre-diabetic, the first thing their physician will recommend is weight loss to assist the body in absorbing insulin and lower the chances of developing type 2 diabetes. If you are already diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you’re likely to hear the same thing: lose weight and change your lifestyle to stay healthy! To reduce the risk of weight gain with diabetes, it is important to manage glucose levels through a healthy diet and exercise.
Can losing weight reverse a type 2 diabetes diagnosis?
While T2D (type 2 diabetes) is incurable, it is possible to manage the disease through lifestyle changes, including (you guessed it) losing weight! By following a healthy diet, food portion control, and with increased physical activity you can manage diabetes. Also, taking steps to lose weight will move individuals living with type 2 diabetes in a positive direction.
How to stay at a healthy weight when you have diabetes.
When trying to maintain a healthy weight, there are a few simple things that you can do to help.
Eat well
It is important that people with diabetes keep track of how many calories they are consuming and which foods they are eating daily.
Never cut calories by skipping meals.
For variety, try to find fun and healthy alternatives for your everyday meals by using recipe websites online.
Try to stay away from refined carbohydrates. It can feel like there’s nothing better than a big bowl of pasta or warm garlic bread, but these are sure fire ways to mess up your blood sugar. Try whole grains like brown rice and quinoa instead. Focus on whole foods instead of highly processed foods. Also, keeping track of how many carbohydrates you eat and setting a limit for each meal can help keep your blood sugar levels in your target range. Work with your doctor or a registered dietitian to find out how many carbs you can eat each day and at each meal.
Watch your weight and waist size
Measure your weight and waist size. This way, you can make notes of changes and know if your diet and lifestyle are working out positively.
Remember, a healthy waist circumference depends on gender. The recommendations are:
less than 80cm (31.5 in) for all women
less than 94cm (37 in) for most men
Plan ahead
If you plan your meals, workouts, and weigh-ins ahead of time, it is far less likely for you to slip up.
Make a schedule or a calendar so that you can see progress from week to week. This can help motivate you to continue to reach your goals.
When daily obstacles occur in your planning, think about backup meal plans for example if you work late and don’t have time to make dinner when you get home.
Exercise!
Physical activity can not only help you lose weight but also make you feel better.
This can be one of the hardest things to start, so starting slow is ok. Just make sure that you are showing improvement each week.
Try to switch up the activities you do so that you do not get bored of one thing. It can make it easier to continue working out long term. A daily walk is a great way to start, but then you can mix in low impact activities like swimming, yoga, dancing, or Pilates.
What is considered a healthy weight?
Obesity is when you carry excess body fat. It involves both the size and amount of fat cells. Defined by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), “Obesity is considered a BMI of 30 or above”. Morbid obesity is over 40. BMI (body mass index) is “weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared”. When looking at what a healthy weight is for a person with diabetes, let’s look at the figures from the CDC, based on the BMI Index Chart.
Per the CDC, a normal BMI is between 18.5-24.9
If you want to calculate your BMI follow the link here!
Input versus Output
If the calories you eat are roughly equal to the calories you burn, then theoretically, you will stay about the same weight. When caloric intake exceeds the body’s requirements, excess calories are stored as fat.
One pound of body fat stores roughly 3,500 calories! Ouch! Getting rid of one pound of body fat requires using 3,500 calories out of storage. That won’t happen in a day. Weight takes time to put on and takes time to take off. A caloric deficit of 500 calories per day can mean losing one pound per week. To achieve this, it’s best to combine caloric restriction with increased energy expenditure through regular exercise. A suggested rate of weight loss is 1-2 pounds per week. Health benefits can be realized with even modest amounts of weight loss.
Small dietary changes can make a difference over time. Giving up 150 calories per day saves you 54,750 calories per year! (150 calories is the number of calories in either 1-ounce of regular potato chips or 12 ounces of regular soda.) When cutting back on calories, be sure to eat a varied and well-balanced diet. You still need the recommended amount of vitamins and minerals.
It’s easy to eat more food than you need without realizing it. The plate method is a simple, visual way to make sure you get enough non-starchy vegetables and lean protein while limiting the amount of higher-carbohydrate foods you eat that have the highest impact on your blood sugar.
Even a modest weight loss of 5 to 10 percent of your total body weight is likely to produce health benefits, such as improvements in blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood sugars.
Predict challenges and devise a plan to overcome them.
Act on your plan.
Get support, if needed.
Evaluate your progress.
Don’t get discouraged, and don’t give up! Stay positive.
Refine your plan or make changes to your plan as needed.
Kicking Off the Healthy T2D Lifestyle
We hope this piece gave you some concrete tips to get started! Remember starting small is fine and that little every day changes can lead to big results in your type 2 diabetes management. Don’t forget that you can always work with Advanced Diabetes Supply for all of your diabetes testing needs. We are here to help!
Part of managing diabetes is understanding your blood glucose levels and knowing your ideal range. More time spent in range yields health benefits and can help prevent long-term problems like heart disease, loss of vision, and other diseases. Here we break down everything you need to know about blood glucose numbers, ideal ranges based by age, and methods to test at home with glucometers.
What is Blood Sugar?
Let’s start with the basics. Blood sugar, or glucose, is the main sugar found in your blood. It comes from the food you eat and is your body’s main source of energy. Your blood carries glucose to all your body’s cells to use for energy.
How Does Blood Sugar Impact Diabetes?
Too much sugar in the blood could cause many different problems in your body, including heart disease, kidney damage, blindness, and loss of feeling in your feet and hands. In this piece, we will talk about the specifics of blood glucose and the different ways to test and manage your blood glucose levels.
What is a Blood Glucose Number?
Your blood glucose number or blood sugar level is the concentration of sugar in your blood at any given time. People diagnosed with diabetes are at risk for high blood glucose levels, and over the years, these high levels can lead to problems and negatively impact one’s health. It is vital to keep your blood glucose in the normal range. The next time you visit your doctor, ask to have an HbA1c test. This is the test that will tell you what your average blood sugar level has been, overall, for the last three months. There’s no one-size-fits-all target when it comes to numbers. A1C target levels can vary by each person’s age and other factors, and your target may be different from someone else’s. The goal for most adults with diabetes is an A1C that is less than 7%. A1C test results are reported as a percentage. The higher the percentage, the higher your blood sugar levels over the past two to three months. What’s your number? The American Diabetes Association suggests an A1C of 7 percent for nonpregnant adults, but more or less stringent glycemic goals may be appropriate for each individual.
Normal Blood Glucose Ratings
So, what is a normal blood sugar range? Well, that depends on your age, time of day and how recently you last ate. Check out the age grouping below for the normal range and helpful tips.
Blood sugar testing provides useful information for diabetes management. It can help you:
Monitor the effect of diabetes medications on blood sugar levels
Identify blood sugar levels that are high or low
Learn how diet and exercise affect blood sugar levels
Understand how other factors, such as illness or stress, affect blood sugar levels
Track your progress in reaching your overall treatment goals
Your doctor will let you know how often to check your blood sugar levels. The frequency of testing usually depends on the type of diabetes you have and your treatment plan. Talk with your health care team about what blood sugar numbers are right for you.
Blood Sugar Range for Baby-Toddlers
Kids ages 6 and younger should have blood glucose ratings be in the range of about 80 to 200 mg/dL each day.
This range is considered healthy, however, the amount of glucose in a child’s body can fluctuate throughout the day from when they wake up, to after meals, and again at bedtime.
See the blood glucose numbers chart below for more specific ranges related to testing and pre and post mealtimes.
Blood Sugar Range for Kids-Tweens
Kids aged 6 to 12 should have blood sugar levels that range between 80 to 180 mg/dL over a day.
If needed, try to limit snacks before bed to keep a child’s blood sugar from rising too much before bedtime.
Blood Sugar Range for Teens
Teenagers should have average blood sugar levels that range between 70 to 150 mg/dL over their day.
This can be one of the most challenging times to manage diabetes because of the responsibility and discipline needed. Teenagers must be very diligent in watching what they eat, exercise regularly, and strictly adhere to prescribed medications to stay in control of their blood sugar levels.
Let’s take a look at some sample readings and what they indicate.
Adults who are 20 years or older will have blood sugar levels that range between 100-180 mg/dL over a day.
For adults struggling with blood sugar control, reach out to your doctor or healthcare provider for a treatment plan to help you manage your glucose levels.
It is important to know that some people may not feel the symptoms of high blood sugar or hyperglycemia until their levels are at 250 mg/dL or higher.
Watch your carbohydrate intake, especially with refined carbohydrates like white flour breads, pasta and sweets which can wreak havoc on your blood sugar. Include whole grains, and more non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli, spinach, and green beans.
This is commonly known, but sugar intake will always raise your readings. Eat sweets in small portions and use sugar substitutes when you can.
Watch your weight! Weight can be an overall indicator of your body’s health so be sure to stay in the range recommended by your physician.
Exercise daily. The American Diabetes Association recommends at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise per week. Just 20 minutes a day of light aerobic activity has been proven to lower blood sugar and allows the body to absorb insulin more efficiently.
Drink more water. When you don’t drink enough water, the glucose in your bloodstream becomes more concentrated. And that leads to higher blood sugar levels. Both mild and severe dehydration can have a notable impact on your diabetes.
How To Administer A Blood Glucose Test
There are different ways to check your blood sugar. The most common way to test is the old-fashioned way of poking your finger and then using a strip to test the blood in a blood glucose meter called a glucometer. It is important that you prick the side of your finger and not squeeze it to draw more blood. Instead, you can point your finger down and let the blood flow out.
This glucometer is one of the most modern and easy to use in the industry. The Accu-Chek comes equipped with a strip ejector as well as high visible lighting. This allows you to test in darker places and dispose of your strips easily. It is known for its accuracy and consistency when it comes to testing your blood glucose. Also, it features a smartphone app connecting your test results to your phone, so all of your previous tests and dates are stored right there on your phone, giving you the freedom to check on the go.
Wanting a glucometer that will help you properly manage your blood glucose? The OneTouch Verio Reflect is the first and only glucometer with a blood sugar mentor feature. This feature provides personalized insight for the patient as well as encouragement to deal with your blood glucose appropriately. It also comes with the ColorSure dynamic range indicator making it easy for people to interpret their results. The OneTouch Verio Reflect also connects to the OneTouch Reveal App, allowing you to store your results and data directly onto your smartphone.
The Nova Max Plus is one of the most convenient glucometers on the market. It is known for being quick, smart, and simple. It comes with great features such as fast testing time, small blood samples, no coding, low cost, and a large 400 test memory.
Not only that, but when the Nova Max System includes:
Nova Max Plus Meter with the battery included
10 Nova Max glucose testing strips
10 Nova Max lancelets
Day case
Advanced Diabetes Supply is Here to Help!
We know that keeping blood sugar in check can sound daunting at first. Just remember that the tips in this article are steps that you can take today to increase your time in range. If you have questions, you can always reach out to our on-staff Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist. At Advanced Diabetes Supply we’re proud to offer all of the glucometers listed above, plus diabetes testing supplies and continuous glucose monitors. Contact us to get started today!
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If you’re like many people in America, reading the phrase “chia seeds” triggers a particular memory: Ch-ch-ch-Chia! Thanks to their kitschy charm and that unforgettable jingle, Chia Pets were one of the most beloved novelty items of the 1980s. But if you thought the seeds of the same name were only good for impersonating a puppy’s fur or politicians’ hairdos, think again.
Chia seeds are actually a diabetes superfood capable of fighting this disease’s most notorious symptoms. Are you already a chia champion, or have you never considered adding them to your diabetes diet before now? Either way, you’ll find all the information you need on these mighty morsels right here on ADS.
What Nutrients Do Chia Seeds Contain?
Humans have been eating chia seeds for millennia. These tiny black seeds, which come from a plant in the mint family known as Salvia hispanica, were a part of Aztec and Mayan diets and culture. People thought of these seeds as highly nutritious in ancient times, and that certainly hasn’t changed over the years. Despite their small size, chia seeds are packed with these nutrients and many others:
Essential Fatty Acids
An ounce or two tablespoons of chia seeds contains 8.7 grams of fat, but don’t let that turn you away! Some types of fat have crucial health benefits, and most of the fats in chia seeds consist of omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. These are both types of polyunsaturated fat, which can help lower your LDL cholesterol (AKA “bad” cholesterol).
Fiber
Meanwhile, the same one-ounce serving of chia seeds comes with 11.9 grams of carbohydrates – and 9.8 grams of fiber. Since your body doesn’t digest fiber like other carbs, it can help regulate your blood sugar. Fiber can give your digestive system a boost and keep your cholesterol under control, too.
Antioxidants
Like blueberries, dark chocolate, and other well-known superfoods, chia seeds are rich in antioxidants. These can help you out by counteracting the effects of free radicals, which can play a role in aging and diseases like cancer. The protective antioxidants in chia seeds include caffeic acid, myricetin, quercetin, kaempferol and chlorogenic acid.
Magnesium
You don’t have to eat many chia seeds to get the magnesium your body needs. A one-ounce serving of these seeds includes 23 percent of your daily suggested magnesium intake. Magnesium contributes to all kinds of bodily functions, such as regulating your heartbeat and moving your muscles. And since insulin resistance is linked to below-average magnesium levels, people with diabetes need to load up on this nutrient.
The Ways Chia Seeds May Fight Diabetes Symptoms
Along with their general health benefits, research suggests chia seeds come with some indispensable perks for people with diabetes. When you eat chia seeds regularly, they could be able to:
Lower Your Blood Sugar
Thanks to the fiber and other nutrients they contain, chia seeds are believed to play a role in regulating blood sugar. In addition to that, animal studies suggest these seeds may boost sensitivity to insulin. Additional research still needs to take place on humans, but the results of studies that have been completed are promising.
Help With Weight Loss
The fiber in chia seeds could also make it easier for you to lose weight – which is notable since weight loss can assist with diabetes management. That’s because much of the fiber they contain is “soluble fiber,” which may create feelings of fullness after eating a meal. While studies of this effect have had mixed results, chia seeds may be worth a try if you’re trying to lose weight.
Reduce Your Risk Of Heart Disease
Soluble fiber and omega-3 fatty acids are known to lower LDL cholesterol – and chia seeds have no shortage of both nutrients. Diabetes comes with a heightened risk of heart disease, so it’s good to include controlled portions of fiber and fatty acids in your diet. However, more research is needed before scientists can conclusively say that chia seeds, in particular, can improve people’s heart health.
Enjoy Chia Seeds With These Tips
Chia seeds don’t have the boldest flavor in the world – but that’s not a bad thing! Since they don’t call too much attention to themselves and are flavorless, these seeds are easy to add to many different dishes. Check out our list of great ways to eat chia seeds:
Sprinkle seeds on cereal, yogurt, sauces, salads, and more
Mix seeds into drinks, add to tea and baked goods
Mix ground seeds with peanut butter for a more nutritious spread
Add seeds to soup and stews to thicken
Add seeds to salad dressing or sprinkle on salad for a healthy crunch
Blend chia seeds into smoothies
Eat the seeds whole and raw as a snack
Add chia seeds to beaten eggs, soak for 10 minutes and make in omelets
Grind seeds and add to hot low-fat or nonfat milk for a nutty porridge
Throw seeds into a vegetable stir fry
Add whole seeds to unsweetened granola
Soak chia seeds in milk and mix through hot old-fashioned oatmeal or add to mashed potatoes
Mix ground seeds with lean ground beef or turkey to make meatballs
Cook brown rice in low sodium vegetable broth and stir in the chia seeds when the rice is cooked
Make chia pudding by adding whole seeds to lowfat milk, nut milk, or unsweetened soy milk
Stir whole seeds through cooked lentils
Add ground chia seeds to flour when making bread
Go Shopping For Chia Seeds – Let Us Handle The Rest
While you probably won’t have trouble finding chia seeds in your nearest supermarket, the same isn’t true for diabetes supplies. Many people with diabetes need to use insulin, glucose meters, and diabetes testing supplies every day. To be sure you have a steady supply of these life-saving items, order them on ADS today!
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Vegetables are a vital component of any diabetes diet, and it’s hard to top leafy greens when it comes to health benefits. These veggies are low in calories, but they’re packed with vitamins, fiber, and many other nutrients. Of course, leafy greens can help people control diabetes, too.
Some of the best-known leafy greens include spinach, kale, and chard. And while these options are highly nutritious, you should also take time to explore less popular vegetables in this category, including watercress. With its anti-diabetic effects and uniquely peppery flavor, watercress can give your diabetes diet a real kick this spring – and year-round. If you’re interested in giving this underappreciated leafy green a try, keep reading for more information from the team at ADS.
How Watercress Fights Diabetes
Like its fellow leafy greens, watercress has no shortage of health perks. Some of these benefits are particularly noteworthy for people who have diabetes or are concerned about their risk for this disease:
Improved Heart Health
When you have diabetes, you have an increased risk of heart disease. Watercress can combat heart problems in multiple ways:
Many amazing antioxidants are contained in watercress, such as lutein, zeaxanthin, and beta carotene. Low levels of these antioxidants (AKA “carotenoids”) have negative links to high blood pressure and heart disease. But getting high amounts of carotenoids has the opposite effect and is positive for overall health.
Along with antioxidants, watercress is a source of dietary nitrates. Studies have shown that these can make your blood vessels dilate, and help lower blood pressure.
There’s evidence to suggest that watercress may play a role in lowering cholesterol. One study focusing on rats with high cholesterol found that watercress extract helped reduce their total cholesterol by 34 percent and their LDL (or “bad”) cholesterol by 53 percent.
Watercress belongs to a group of vegetables known as the cruciferous family. Eating vegetables in this family – which also includes the likes of broccoli, radishes, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts – was linked to studies that may lower people’s heart disease risk by 16 percent.
Eye Health Protection
Another infamous complication of diabetes is vision problems, including cataracts. Watercress is an ideal source of vitamin C, which has been associated with a reduced risk of cataracts. To add, the carotenoids lutein and zeaxanthin in watercress play an essential role in protecting your vision.
Potential For Easier Weight Loss
Nutrient density is a significant factor in choosing foods for a diabetes diet. Since a one-cup serving of watercress contains a mere four calories, this vegetable certainly fits the bill. Right now, there is a lack of research dealing with watercress and weight loss. That said, it stands to reason that its high level of nutrient density and minimal calories per serving, makes it a good choice for managing your weight. Meanwhile, successful weight management can make it easier to control diabetes symptoms.
Reduced Diabetes Risk
Along with their previously-mentioned advantages, the antioxidants for example like alpha-lipoic acid in watercress have been associated with lower glucose levels and increased insulin sensitivity which can both help treat diabetes . Antioxidants neutralize free radicals, which can cause “oxidative stress” – a condition linked to diabetes and other chronic diseases.
Other Benefits of Watercress
Not all watercress health benefits are related to diabetes, but they still bear mentioning. In addition to the perks listed above, watercress:
Is full of nutrients. A cup of watercress delivers 22 percent of the Reference Daily Intake (RDI) for Vitamin A, 24 percent of the RDI for Vitamin C, 106 percent of the RDI for Vitamin K, and 4 percent of the RDIs for both calcium and manganese.
Can protect you from other chronic diseases. Along with fighting cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, the antioxidants in watercress can help lower your risk of cancer. The phytochemicals found in cruciferous vegetables may also prevent some forms of cancer.
Is able to help your immune system. As a result of its high levels of vitamin C, watercress can contribute to a more robust immune system. This vitamin can support your immune system by helping you produce more white blood cells that fight infection.
Can give your bones a boost. Vitamin K, calcium, magnesium, and other nutrients can improve bone health, and support strong bones.
Eat More Watercress With These Tips
If you haven’t eaten watercress much in the past, you may be unsure how to add this leafy green to your everyday diet. Fortunately, this delicious, nutritious vegetable is a perfect fit with many healthy dishes. This list of ideas for cooking with watercress can help:
Use watercress alone in salads with other delicate greens, such as mizuna (a leafy green vegetable) and baby arugula.
Eat a watercress and goat cheese sandwich: Use whole grain bread, spread goat cheese on the bread, and add watercress.
Watercress, watermelon, and feta salad: Combine all ingredients with some olive oil and lemon juice. You can also replace the watermelon with avocado.
Zucchini and watercress soup: Sautee these vegetables with onion and puree.
Puree watercress with garlic and lowfat Greek yogurt for a dipping sauce.
Add watercress to any pasta dish for a delicious garnish.
Make pesto sauce with watercress.
Add watercress to your omelet or scrambled eggs.
Cucumber, watercress, and parsley salad: Combine all ingredients with a dressing made with a bit of honey, white wine vinegar, black pepper, and olive oil.
Put A Spring In Your Step With Convenient Diabetes Supply Delivery
While watercress is an excellent dietary choice at any time of year, it’s also the perfect way to spice up meals when spring arrives. When you handle spring cleaning this year, take some time to think about what is and isn’t working in your diabetes management strategy.
If you’ve had trouble getting diabetes supplies like insulin and glucose meters before, don’t keep relying on the same suppliers that have caused problems for you in the past. Instead, switch to ADS for speedy, trustworthy home delivery of all the supplies you need!
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If you’re planning a healthy diabetes diet, you may already know about the health benefits of fish. That said, have you considered eating sardines? While these aren’t the most popular type of fish on the market, they could be the key to improved diabetes management.
As many people with diabetes know, fish are a great source of protein for people managing this condition. While some types of fish are fattier than others, that’s far from a dealbreaker. That’s especially true since the fat they offer, Omega-3 fatty acids, is a type of “good” fat that comes with essential health benefits of its own.
However, one of the most nutritious fish species for people with diabetes is commonly overlooked – namely, sardines. If you haven’t eaten sardines before, we can walk you through the health benefits they provide and help you add them to your diabetes meal plan.
How Sardines Can Help You Manage Diabetes
Many types of fish can simplify diabetes management, but sardines are a uniquely nutritious option in this category. If you have diabetes or risks of type 2 diabetes, sardines can:
Improve Your Heart Health
The Omega-3 fatty acids in sardines have anti-inflammatory benefits. As a result, they’ll be able to help you lower your risk of heart disease. That’s especially important for people with diabetes since heart disease is an unfortunately common diabetes complication.
Additionally, Omega-3 fatty acids can help you reduce your blood pressure and reduce your risk of blood clots. These benefits will all go a long way towards helping you stay heart-healthy with diabetes.
Provide The Calcium You Need
Another potential complication of diabetes can be osteoporosis. People with diabetes, primarily type 1 diabetes, can have poor bone strength and a heightened risk of fractures. These bone-related risks are even higher for people who have had diabetes for a long time and have poor blood sugar control.
Fortunately, adding calcium and vitamin D to your diet is an easy way to protect your bone health. Sardines are typically eaten whole – including their bones. That makes them a phenomenal source of calcium, especially for people who have issues eating dairy products. These fish have a decent amount of vitamin D, too.
Lower Your Type 2 Diabetes Risk
Many of the health benefits associated with sardines can be helpful for all sorts of people, whether or not they have diabetes. What you might not know is that regularly eating sardines may lower your likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes.
One recent study, focusing on 152 people, aged 65 years and older who had been diagnosed with prediabetes, focused on how eating two cans of sardines in olive oil a week would affect participants’ diabetes risk. At the start of the study, 37 percent of participants in the sardine-eating group had a high risk of diabetes. After a year, just eight percent of participants in this group remained at high risk.
Other Perks of Eating Sardines
Of course, the benefits of eating sardines don’t stop there. When you make these fish part of your diet, you’ll get:
Lots of Nutrients
Along with the vitamins and nutrients listed above, sardines are an excellent sources of:
Vitamin B-12
Phosphorus
Zinc
Selenium
Magnesium
Potassium
Iron
Niacin
Iodine
Low Mercury Levels
One common concern related to fish is their mercury levels. The good news is that sardines only feed on plankton. As a result, they have considerably lower levels of mercury than some types of fish do.
Low Cost
If you’re trying to eat a diabetes diet on a budget, it’s hard to go wrong with sardines. These fish are a highly affordable source of irreplaceable nutrients.
Great Ways to Eat Sardines
Sardines aren’t finicky when it comes to preparation. Fresh sardines should be gutted and rinsed under cold water before serving, but canned sardines only need a quick rinse ahead of time. When your sardines are ready, here are just some of the ways you can enjoy them:
Sprinkle sardines with extra virgin olive oil and lemon juice.
Mix sardines with chopped onion, olives, or fennel.
Cover sardines with chopped tomatoes and herbs like basil, oregano, and rosemary.
Balsamic vinegar gives sardines a delightful taste.
Make a sauce with extra virgin olive oil, lemon juice, pressed garlic, Dijon mustard, and salt and pepper. Serve over sardines.
Pan-fry whole sardines until crispy and mix with a warm salad of chickpeas, cherry tomatoes, and parsley.
Make a Greek-inspired mix of warm sardines, crunchy cucumbers, chickpeas, and feta.
Whole canned sardines are mixed with avocado, radish, and watercress for a salad full of complementary textures and flavors.
Eat sardines on whole-grain Scandinavian-style crackers such as Wasa, Ry Krisp, Ryvita, or Kavli for a protein-packed and portable snack. Squeeze lemon juice on top.
For a sardine sandwich: 1 serving, mash 2 ounces low-fat cream cheese with 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne in a small bowl. Spread the mixture on a slice of pumpernickel and top with a couple of drained, canned sardines.
For breakfast, revamp a favorite meal like an omelet with sardines instead of smoked salmon.
Now, if you have kidney problems or gout, you should avoid sardines. They naturally contain a substance that creates uric acid. And be sure to read the Nutrition Facts label and eat the correct serving size because of the higher sodium and calories found in sardines. If you have any questions be sure to speak with a Registered Dietitian for assistance.
With these cooking and nutrition tips, you’ll be well on your way to making sardines a crucial part of your diet – and reaping their health benefits. For extra assistance in managing diabetes, order necessary supplies like insulin and glucose meters from ADS!
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Do you crave beautiful, strong hair? Hair and skin are great markers of overall health. Vibrant hair depends on a balanced diet. Healthy hair depends on the body’s ability to construct a proper hair shaft, as well as the health of the skin and follicles. Eating Food For Healthy Hair daily and good nutrition assures the best environment for building strong, lustrous hair.
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Diabetes management can be inconvenient, but it shouldn’t be excruciating. Here, you’ll find ADS’ advice on how you can cut down on pain related to fingerstick testing.
If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, blood sugar finger tests are part of your management. These tests can be annoying, but they also play a vital role in diabetes management. Testing your blood glucose level allows you to see whether or not your efforts to control your diabetes symptoms are paying off. If they aren’t, you can use this information to decide what to do next.
Unfortunately, there’s no way to eliminate the need for these inconvenient tests. However, you can still make life easier for yourself by keeping them as painless as possible. Keep reading for the information you need to know about reducing pain while testing blood sugar.
Use A Lancing Device
If you’re not already using a lancing device, picking one up is a great way to cut down on the pain associated with finger prick tests. These devices hold lancets, making it considerably easier to collect a blood sample when you need to test your glucose level. In most cases, you’ll use a lancing device by inserting a lancet, placing the device on your fingertip, and pushing a button.
When choosing a lancing device, there are a few factors that are worth considering:
Compatible lancets
Ability to adjust lancet depth
What your healthcare covers
Ease of use
Size of devices
Safety features for used lancet removal
Pick The Best Lancet For You
Choosing a lancing device that’s a good fit for your needs is crucial, but the other half of this process is selecting the right lancets to use along with it. One of the most significant decisions you’ll need to make is the gauge of your lancets. Bigger gauge numbers equal thinner needles – and less pain.
You’ll need to choose lancets based on the thickness of your skin. When you get started, it’s wise to go with lancets with thinner needles. Of course, you can always switch to thicker needles if you’re having trouble getting a good blood sample. Also, do not reuse lancets. Use a new lancet every time you test.
Try Testing The Sides of Your Fingers
Some parts of your fingers are more sensitive than others. If you’re having trouble dealing with the pain that comes with using a lancing device on your finger pads, switch to the sides of your fingertips. They have fewer nerve endings, so you might not feel as much pain there.
Get A Good Sample In One Try
If you remember a few tips before your next finger test, you’ll reduce the likelihood of needing to try more than once to get a decent blood sample:
Shake your hands before thoroughly washing your fingertips. That way, blood will head to the tips of your fingers. Wash hands with soap and warm water.
While cleaning your finger, rub the tip in a “milking” motion.
Make sure your fingertip is warm before using your lancing device.
Be sure to put your finger on a hard surface when collecting a blood sample.
Choose The Right Setting
Ideally, you shouldn’t have to change depth settings on your lancing device every time you need to do a finger prick test. With that in mind, it’s worth taking some time to figure out what setting works best for you.
When using a new lancing device, start with a lighter (and less painful) depth setting. If you’re able to get a sizable blood sample without squeezing your finger while using this setting, you’re in luck. Otherwise, increase your depth setting before your next blood glucose test and try again.
Rotate Testing Sites
When you’ve tested one of your fingers, there’s a good chance it will be sore for a while after. Instead of constantly testing in the same sp
ot, you can cut down on pain considerably by rotating testing sites. An easy way to keep track of test sites is to outline your hand on a piece of paper. Put a dot at the location corresponding with your last test site, and try another spot the next time you need to check blood sugar.
Some glucose meters can also use blood samples from body parts other than the fingers, or alternate site testing. Work with your diabetes educator to learn whether the palm of your hand, an arm or thigh is a better option. It is crucial to ensure your meter has this capability first. Don’t rely on blood samples from alternate sites when your glucose levels may be rapidly changing, either.
Use Oil To Soothe Sore Fingers
In addition to changing your testing regimen, mixing up your skincare routine can make it easier to deal with finger prick-related pain. For example, try putting tea tree oil on your fingertips twice daily to reduce soreness. You can usually find this oil in pharmacies, and it’s easy to apply with a cotton swab.
Cut Down On Finger Prick Tests With CGMs
Of course, the most effective way to feel less pain from finger prick tests is to reduce your reliance on these tests in the first place. Until recent years, this was an impossibility for people with diabetes. However, continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) systems can allow you to track your glucose levels without fingersticks.*
High-Fat Diets and Sedentary Lifestyles Contribute to Childhood Obesity
Type 2 Diabetes in Kids was once considered an adult-only disease. Not anymore. Every year the number of cases of type 2 diabetes in children and adolescents increases.
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The fastest-growing segment of the American population consists of individuals aged 60 and older. In 1994, one out of every eight individuals in our country was over 65 years old. By the year 2020, it is estimated that one out of every six people will be over 65 years old and Managing Diabetes in the Elderly is Important.
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