Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Start With a Better Breakfast

Don't let lack of time or other hurdles keep you from having a balanced breakfast. Research shows many benefits of eating breakfast every morning.

Medically reviewed by Lindsey Marcellin, MD, MPH

There’s a good deal of science behind eating a balanced breakfast — it sets you up to succeed for the entire day. “Studies support that you need to start your day off with a healthy breakfast,” says Bethany Thayer, RD, a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association and manager of wellness programs and strategies at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit.

The benefits of breakfast include:

Improved mood. Eating breakfast can lift your mood. Studies show that people who don’t eat breakfast are more tired and irritable.
More energy to face the day. Before you eat in the morning, your body is running on empty. You get energy from high-quality protein, carbohydrates, and fats.
Better concentration. Eating breakfast also improves your ability to problem solve. “You’ll be more productive and better able to handle tasks that require memory,” Thayer says.
Weight management. “Studies show that if you eat breakfast, you're more likely to be at a healthy weight than people who don’t eat breakfast,” Thayer says.

Breakfast foods can also provide a lot of vitamins and minerals. For instance, if you eat a bowl of whole-grain cereal with low-fat milk and a glass of orange juice, you’ll have consumed your total daily needs of vitamin C and about one-third of your calcium, thiamin, and riboflavin requirements for the day. You’ll also have a good supply of fiber, iron, and folate, especially if you choose a high-fiber cereal. “By missing out on breakfast, you might be missing out on some really great nutrients,” Thayer says.

Basics of a Quick and Balanced Breakfast

One of the most common excuses for not eating breakfast is being short on time to get to work or school. But breakfast doesn’t have to be elaborate or time consuming. You can wake up just a little earlier to fit in a nutritious breakfast. Besides, Thayer says, investing time in breakfast pays off through the whole day.

It’s best if your breakfast foods come from three different food groups: protein, whole grains, and fruits or vegetables, Thayer explains. You can get protein from eggs, dairy, lean meat, or peanut butter. Cereal or whole-wheat toast can be your whole grains. And strawberries or blueberries — great sources of antioxidants — make a sweet and nutritious topping for oatmeal, cold cereal, or yogurt.

Cereal is a great choice for a quick and easy breakfast, but look for one that has at least 3 grams of fiber per serving. “You want to be sure that whole grain is the first ingredient that’s listed,” Thayer says. Also make sure that sugar isn’t first or second on the ingredients list.

If you prefer sweetened cereals, use a few flakes as a topping for yogurt, Thayer says. Or mix it with a healthier cereal — you can mix several cereals in your morning bowl.

Healthy Breakfast Ideas

Next time you’re racing against the clock, try these effortless and healthy breakfast ideas:

A low-fat bran muffin and a side of yogurt topped with fresh fruit
A bowl of oatmeal mixed with raisins or topped with cheese
A peanut butter sandwich on whole-wheat bread. “You can make it ahead and eat it during your commute or once you’re at your desk if you’re pressed for time,” Thayer says.
An omelet made with one whole egg and extra egg whites and filled with veggies (mushrooms, peppers, onions) and low-fat cheese. Eat it with a slice of whole-grain toast
Multigrain pancakes topped with fresh blueberries. You can make them ahead of time, wrap them individually, and freeze, then take out of the freezer to toast or warm just as you would with a box of frozen pancakes.
Half a bagel (whole wheat, oat bran, pumpernickel) spread with a tablespoon of hummus or peanut butter, and a piece of fresh fruit
An English muffin (whole-wheat or whole-grain variety) topped with a slice of tomato and cheese
A low-fat smoothie made with low-fat milk or yogurt and fresh fruit and a piece of whole-grain toast

In a real pinch, don’t overlook last night’s leftovers. You don’t need to limit yourself to traditional breakfast foods, Thayer says. A portion of a casserole or even a slice of pizza (made with whole-wheat crust and low-fat cheese and topped with veggies) can make a good, quick breakfast. Eating a balanced breakfast, with whatever foods you choose, is the best way to jump-start your day and stay satisfied until lunch.

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Sunday, May 27, 2012

Can Eating Too Much Sugar Cause Diabetes?

You know that diabetes is linked to high blood sugar, but can sugar alone give you the disease? Find out about the relationship between diet and diabetes.

By Leon Vorobeichik

Medically reviewed by Farrokh Sohrabi, MD

Because type 2 diabetes is linked to high levels of sugar in the blood, it may seem logical to assume that eating too much sugar is the cause of the disease. But of course, it’s not that simple.

Studies do show that sweetened foods can up diabetes risk, but sugar alone isn’t necessarily enough to cause the disease on its own. With more than 20 million Americans living with diabetes and millions more at a high risk for the disease, understand how sugar affects diabetes, as well as other risk factors, is essential to reversing the diabetes epidemic.

The Sugar Story: Not So Sweet

The sugars in food are known as simple carbohydrates and are a natural component of many fresh foods, such as the lactose in milk and the fructose in fruits. A healthy, well-balanced diet will always have these sugars in it.

However, the problem with sugar is the sheer amount of it that’s in the typical American diet. Added sugars — the sucrose in table sugar as well as the sugars in foods such as sodas, cereals, packaged foods, and snacks — when consumed in excess, cause weight gain, heart disease, mood swings, and more.

Research has found that a high-sugar diet certainly increases diabetes risk — adding just one serving of a sweetened beverage each day to your diet ups risk by 15 percent, a study at the Harvard School of Public Health found — but calories that come from both carbohydrates and fats also contribute to the development of diabetes.

One particular type of sugar that has attracted a lot of negative attention is high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS). Because it’s a relatively cheap ingredient, it’s become the most commonly used sweetener in processed foods. Like table sugar, HFCS causes blood-sugar spikes and contributes to weight gain.

Although HFCS has been vilified for decades, researchers are now finding that added sweeteners of all kinds affect the body similarly — and all are bad. In one recent study, scientists found that drinking three sweetened drinks a day for 10 weeks resulted in a nearly 4-pound weight gain and nearly an extra inch to the waistline, regardless of whether the sweetener was fructose or glucose. Even worse, consuming these sweeteners, and fructose in particular, led to decreased insulin sensitivity and higher blood sugar levels, the hallmark predictors of diabetes.

Other Diabetes Risk Factors to Consider

Although this research may prompt you to ditch the soda and avoid sweets, remember that consumption of too much fat can have the same effect as sugar on your diabetes risk. Obesity or being overweight, as well as family history is another important predictor for the disease. People who exercise fewer than three times a week and women who have been diagnosed with gestational diabetes, or diabetes that develops while a woman is pregnant, also have an increased chance of a type 2 diabetes diagnosis.

Certain ethnic groups, including American Indians, African-Americans, Asian-Americans, and Hispanics, are more likely to get diabetes than Caucasians — a phenomenon researchers currently attribute to both lifestyle factors and genetics.

While assessing your risk, keep in mind that not every instance of diabetes is from diet. Type 1 diabetes occurs when, for unknown reasons, the body’s immune system attacks its own pancreas at a young age, hurting this organ’s ability to produce insulin. The end result is similar to type 2 diabetes, with blood sugar levels staying high if you don’t get the necessary treatment.

In type 2 diabetes, the cells in the body do not respond well to insulin, a hormone responsible for keeping blood sugars low. The disease affects the body’s ability to sweep up sugars from the blood and store them away and causes sugar levels to rise. Many people with diabetes take drugs, such as metformin, to help keep blood sugar in check.

The bottom line? You don’t have to avoid any food group entirely to prevent diabetes, but monitoring your intake of sugar and sugar substitutes is essential for managing your risk and your overall health.

For more diabetes news and facts, follow @diabetesfacts on Twitter from the editors of@EverydayHealth.

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

A Glossary of Key Diabetes Terms

Confused by words like glucagon and diabetic retinopathy? Cut through the medical jargon with these easily understandable definitions of diabetes-related terms.

By Lynn Yoffee

Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

Learning that you have diabetes can be overwhelming — with lifestyle changes, new medications, and the variety of tests needed to stay healthy. One stumbling block for anybody managing a chronic condition can be the vocabulary of medical terms. Here's a glossary of some of the most common diabetes terms you need to know.

A1C: a test that reveals exactly how well your blood sugar (glucose) has been controlled over the previous three months.

Beta cells: cells found in the pancreas that make insulin.

Blood glucose: also known as blood sugar, glucose comes from food and is then carried through the blood to deliver energy to cells.

Blood glucose meter: a small medical device used to check blood glucose levels.

Blood glucose monitoring: the simple blood test used to check the amount of glucose in the blood; a tiny drop of blood, taken by pricking a finger, is placed on a test strip and inserted in the meter for reading.

Diabetes: the shortened name for diabetes mellitus, the condition in which the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or your body is unable to use insulin to move glucose into cells of the body.

Diabetic retinopathy: the eye disease that occurs in someone with diabetes when the small blood vessels of the retina become swollen and leak liquid into the retina, blurring vision; it can sometimes lead to blindness.

Gestational diabetes: the diabetes some women develop during pregnancy; it typically subsides after the baby is delivered, but many women who have had gestational diabetes may develop type 2 diabetes later in life.

Glucagon: the hormone that is injected into a person with diabetes to raise their blood glucose level when it's very low (hypoglycemia).

Glucose: blood sugar that gives energy to cells.

Hyperglycemia: also known as high blood glucose, this condition occurs when your blood glucose level is too high; weight loss, thirstiness, and frequent urination are typical symptoms.

Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic nonketotic syndrome: a condition usually caused by an infection or illness that results in blood sugar levels rising to dangerously high levels; HHNS can lead to seizures, coma, and death.

Hypoglycemia: also known as low blood sugar, severe hypoglycemia can cause a variety of symptoms ranging from dizziness to seizures.

Insulin: a hormone made by the pancreas that assists in the use of glucose for energy; people with diabetes who don't make enough insulin will inject it.

Ketoacidosis: a condition often caused by an infection or other illness like dehydration, or from taking too little insulin; when the body begins to break down muscle and fat for needed energy, ketones are released into the urine and blood, leading to diabetic ketoacidosis.

Ketones: the chemical substance made by your body when there isn't enough insulin in your blood; a build-up of ketones can lead to serious illness or coma.

Nephropathy: a diabetic kidney disease in which protein is spilled into the urine; it can progress over time and result in significant kidney damage.

Neuropathy: diabetes-caused nerve damage, typically in the feet and hands; major organs can also be affected.

Pancreas: the organ that makes insulin, needed to convert glucose to energy.

Type 1 diabetes: insulin-dependent diabetes that requires life-long insulin treatment; type 1 occurs when the pancreas doesn't make enough insulin, preventing your body from properly using blood glucose as energy.

Type 2 diabetes: non-insulin-dependent diabetes, a condition in which your body either doesn't make enough insulin or doesn't use it properly and can't properly use blood glucose as energy; type 2 may be treated with oral medication, but could eventually require insulin.

Monday, May 21, 2012

Filling Food to Speed Weight Loss

Learn which foods fight hunger by keeping you feeling full longer.

By Madeline Vann, MPH

Medically reviewed by Christine Wilmsen Craig, MD

It's the dieter's worst enemy — that gnawing hunger when you're trying to eat less and lose weight.

But fighting off those feelings of hunger could be as simple as a walk to the nearest soup and salad bar for lunch. Here's how you can make food choices that will keep you feeling full and help prevent the hunger pangs that lead to diet-busting snacks or binges.

Food Strategies For Losing Weight

If you want to feel full all day on less food, focus on these eating strategies:

Get enough lean protein and fiber. A study of 22 men who changed the amount of protein in their diets for 18-day periods showed that those who ate the least protein were the most likely to report being hungry. "Protein is the number one thing to help you feel full," says Emily Banes, RD, clinical dietitian at Houston Northwest Medical Center. "The second thing is fiber."
Eat a rainbow of fruits and vegetables. Researchers tracked the weight-loss success of 71 obese women between 20 and 60 years of age on a low-fat diet. Half of the women were also told to increase their fruit and vegetable intake. At the end of one year, both groups of women had lost weight, but the women who ate the most fruits and veggies reported the greatest weight loss and were less likely to say they felt hungry on any given day. In fact, when the researchers crunched the data, they found that whether the women reported feeling hungry frequently predicted their ability to lose weight. Other studies have shown that changing your eating habits to focus on these water- and fiber-rich foods will help you maintain weight loss for up to six years.
Sip soup. Adding two low-calorie soups to your diet every day could stave off hunger pangs and keep you satisfied longer. Choose soups that are broth-based, not cream-based, to reduce the calorie count; also look for soups that are low in sodium. Consider chunky, pureed vegetable soups, as they have been shown to produce the most lasting full feeling. Timing your soup so that you have it before a meal also reduces the amount you eat at that meal by about 20 percent, according to a study of 53 overweight adults.
Eat whole grains. A serving of whole grains will stick with you longer than a serving of refined wheat bread or any other refined flour product, for that matter. Most refined flour is white and often bleached.
Pick "airy" snacks. If you must snack and you don't have a piece of fruit or a veggie tray on hand, choose the snack food that has more air in it — think cheese puffs instead of potato chips, rice cakes instead of cookies. You will feel just as full as you would if you ate the same serving size of another snack, but you will consume fewer calories on average.

Another way to fight off hunger is to develop a "low-energy density" eating plan. This means that you can eat a large quantity of foods that do not have a high calorie count. Learning about portion sizes and counting calories is one way to approach this, but you can also try the plate method, which dictates that half your plate be full of veggies, one-quarter dedicated to a starch (preferably whole grain), and one-quarter to a lean protein.

And speaking of plates, it's worth noting that a study of 45 adults demonstrated that the oft-repeated advice to eat on a smaller plate if you want to feel like you have more food in front of you actually has no effect on the amount you eat at a meal (if you are serving yourself) or your feeling of being full.

So, if you prefer, you can go back to eating on your good china — just make sure to emphasize lean proteins, fruits, and veggies.

Learn more in the Everyday Health Weight Center.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

The History of Diabetes

People have been aware of diabetes for thousands of years. Learn how discoveries over the ages have led to today's understanding of diabetes.

By Krisha McCoy, MS
Medically reviewed by Pat F. Bass III, MD, MPH

Diabetes: Its Beginnings

The first known mention of diabetes symptoms was in 1552 B.C., when Hesy-Ra, an Egyptian physician, documented frequent urination as a symptom of a mysterious disease that also caused emaciation. Also around this time, ancient healers noted that ants seemed to be attracted to the urine of people who had this disease.

In 150 AD, the Greek physician Arateus described what we now call diabetes as "the melting down of flesh and limbs into urine." From then on, physicians began to gain a better understanding about diabetes.

Centuries later, people known as "water tasters" diagnosed diabetes by tasting the urine of people suspected to have it. If urine tasted sweet, diabetes was diagnosed. To acknowledge this feature, in 1675 the word "mellitus," meaning honey, was added to the name "diabetes," meaning siphon. It wasn't until the 1800s that scientists developed chemical tests to detect the presence ofsugar in the urine.

Diabetes: Early Treatments

As physicians learned more about diabetes, they began to understand how it could be managed. The first diabetes treatment involved prescribed exercise, often horseback riding, which was thought to relieve excessive urination.

In the 1700s and 1800s, physicians began to realize that dietary changes could help manage diabetes, and they advised their patients to do things like eat only the fat and meat of animals or consume large amounts of sugar. During the Franco-Prussian War of the early 1870s, the French physician Apollinaire Bouchardat noted that his diabetic patients' symptoms improved due to war-related food rationing, and he developed individualized diets as diabetes treatments. This led to the fad diets of the early 1900s, which included the "oat-cure," "potato therapy," and the "starvation diet."

In 1916, Boston scientist Elliott Joslin established himself as one of the world's leading diabetes experts by creating the textbook The Treatment of Diabetes Mellitus, which reported that a fasting diet combined with regular exercise could significantly reduce the risk of death in diabetes patients. Today, doctors and diabetes educators still use these principles when teaching their patients about lifestyle changes for the management of diabetes.

Diabetes: How Insulin Came About

Despite these advances, before the discovery of insulin, diabetes inevitably led to premature death. The first big breakthrough that eventually led to the use of insulin to treat diabetes was in 1889, when Oskar Minkowski and Joseph von Mering, researchers at the University of Strasbourg in France, showed that the removal of a dog's pancreas could induce diabetes.

In the early 1900s, Georg Zuelzer, a German scientist, found that injecting pancreatic extract into patients could help control diabetes.

Frederick Banting, a physician in Ontario, Canada, first had the idea to use insulin to treat diabetes in 1920, and he and his colleagues began trying out his theory in animal experiments. Banting and his team finally used insulin to successfully treat a diabetic patient in 1922 and were awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine the following year.

Diabetes: Where We Are Today

Today, insulin is still the primary therapy used to treat type 1 diabetes; other medications have since been developed to help control blood glucose levels. Diabetic patients can now test their blood sugar levels at home, and use dietary changes, regular exercise, insulin, and other medications to precisely control their blood glucose levels, thereby reducing their risk of health complications.

Diabetes Infromation, Reversal and Treatment