Type 2 Diabetes and Healthy Eating - Are You Eating One Continuous Daily Meal?

By Beverleigh H Piepers            

Some people say it is best to eat two or three main meals a day. You might agree with them if you don't believe several smaller meals are the way to go. There is an idea going around suggesting breaking up all your main meals into smaller portions. This approach is supposed to be a superior way to manage your food intake because it is implied eating many smaller meals will keep your metabolism active. Eating smaller meals often each day is one of the most mistaken widespread beliefs regarding nutrition in recent memory. But we digress.

Now, what if you are not doing any of the above? What if you are primarily eating one continuous meal every day? Don't take this too literally. If you have been eating so regularly throughout the day, however, and you are unable to count how many separate occasions you have eaten, there is a good chance you are mostly eating one continuous, never-ending meal (so to speak).

On a serious note and to be fair, you may not have realized this is what you were doing. Most people are not aware of their eating behaviors. The majority of eating plans lack any structure these days. The average person...

• does not cook as often as he should,
• doesn't eat the variety of foods he needs, and

is likely nutritionally deprived to some extent.

Since snacking between meals has become the norm, along with the idea we need to eat many smaller portions, it is not uncommon to see people eating what is essentially one continuous meal throughout the day, with short breaks in between. If you are guilty of this in any way, even to a slight extent - stop. This pattern can only harm your health. There are many issues with this type of behavior.

Notably, you should be reminded where the idea of eating three full-sized meals each day stems from. It all began at a time when we needed to eat three daily meals. Back then, the majority of people were involved in manual labor and led a highly active lifestyle as part of their job or natural way of life.

Today, most of us sit for many hours every day, even if we are not in an office. So three meals are unnecessary. Never mind snacking, which just makes it much easier to overeat and gradually become overweight. Two daily meals are enough. You can eat a snack guilt-free, but only before or after physical activity. Otherwise, you will leave yourself vulnerable to a host of problems and complications down the road.

Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.

For nearly 25 years, Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.

The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Beverleigh_H_Piepers/123142

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Type 2 Diabetes and Healthy Eating - Are You Eating With Purpose?

By Beverleigh H Piepers                               

In today's time and age where so many people seem to be continually dieting, it can be hard to know what to eat that is healthy. Most of us merely let our cravings guide us. What foods do we feel like eating that day? Which foods do we think will most benefit us? Which foods do we have at home? While these are all reasonable questions, they do not necessarily help you choose the best foods to nourish your body.

Eating with a purpose is all about thinking more constructively as to why you are eating a particular food and making sure all the foods you do eat have a reason for being consumed. Let us look further at this concept.

1. Identifying Your Purpose. First, you need to define your purpose for eating a particular food. You can do this in a variety of ways...

• To start you need to consider your fitness goals. What do they tell you about the foods you should be eating?
• Next, think about what your doctor has said to you. Has he indicated there are any main health areas you should be working on? The foods you eat will largely influence your health, so do not take this lightly. Choose the wrong foods, and you will not be following your doctor's orders and get the results you want.
• Finally, also consider your desires. What do you want for your body? What do you hope to achieve both aesthetically and health wise? That can give you an indication of the purpose of your eating.

2. What Reasons Are There? So now you need to think about the reason you are eating. Some of the most common ones could include you are eating...

• for more energy,
• to burn fat,
• to combat hunger,
• to stabilize your blood sugar levels,
• to increase your antioxidant intake,
• to build stronger bones,
• to help create larger muscles,
• to help relax your body,
• to help nourish your heart,

and on and on it goes. There is an unlimited number of reasons to eat different foods, but your job is to match your goal to the foods you are consuming. When you do that, then you know you are on track.

3. Choosing Foods To Match. Now, this brings us to the last step in the equation, and that is determining the foods to match your goals. Which foods will help you achieve your goals? Which foods won't?

Every time you sit down to eat, you should ask yourself, if the food you have chosen will bring you closer to reaching your goals or further away? Make sure your meal is doing you a favor, not taking away from your hard work and efforts.

Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.

For nearly 25 years Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.

The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.

Article Source: https://EzineArticles.com/expert/Beverleigh_H_Piepers/123142

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Type 2 Diabetes - Four Reasons Why Adding Exercise to Your Daily Routine Can Improve Your Diabetes

By Beverleigh H Piepers 

 We know adding exercise into our day-to-day life can make a huge difference in our overall health, but how can it impact our blood sugar levels? It has been found regular exercise can help us better control blood sugar and thus better manage Type 2 diabetes.

Exercising can help support Type 2 diabetes for more than one reason. You can walk if that is all you are able to do but it is important because exercising gets the blood flowing. If you can't walk, move your hands, fingers, toes, ankles, arms, and legs while you are sitting. By moving you are helping to make everything flow better in your body.

Including Exercise in Your Daily Routine Helps to...

1. Improve Blood Sugar. Yes, believe it or not, exercise can help improve your blood sugar levels. It can help to not only regulate blood sugar, but exercise can also help improve insulin sensitivity which is an important part of preventing or reversing Type 2 diabetes.

2. Support a Healthy Weight. A huge part of supporting healthy blood sugar readings is maintaining a healthy weight. Exercise is a great way to keep your weight in check, and it doesn't take much! You don't have to spend hours at the gym, or even go to the gym. A simple brisk walk each day can do the trick.

3. Reduce Stress. Whether you have Type 2 diabetes or not, managing your stress levels is key to supporting your overall health. Exercise can reduce stress levels as it releases endorphins which are those feel-good hormones you get after a workout. Make it a habit to move your body daily whether through yoga, a walk, or going to one of your favorite exercise classes.

4. Improve Sleep. While you may not think sleep has anything to do with blood sugar regulation, it does! When you do not sleep well, your hormone and blood sugar levels suffer. You may also crave unhealthy foods which can lead to eating more sugar than you should. Exercise can improve your sleep habits, so strive to exercise at least a little each day to help you sleep better each night and feel alert the next day!

If you do not exercise, or just haven't been lately because you don't want to spend money or hours at the gym, know you don't have to! You can exercise in the comfort of your home by pressing play on an at-home workout video or online fitness class, or you can get out for a walk. It does not matter how you move your body, just get out and move! The more you move, the better you will feel and chances are you will also start to make healthier eating choices which can greatly improve the outcome with your blood sugar and Type 2 diabetes. By moving you are helping to make everything flow better in your body which is better than taking pills to artificially make things flow.

Although managing Type 2 diabetes can be very challenging, it is not a condition you must just live with. Make simple changes to your daily routine - include exercise to help lower both your blood sugar levels and your weight.

For nearly 25 years Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.

The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Beverleigh_H_Piepers/123142

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Type 2 Diabetes - Five Foods to Avoid When You Have Diabetes

By Beverleigh H Piepers 

 While convenience foods serve the purpose of being well, convenient, they are not the healthiest option for anyone. Convenience foods are often full of added sodium, sugar, and artificial ingredients. Convenience foods can also pack in a hefty dose of refined carbohydrates throwing your blood sugar out of whack.

Here are the top convenience foods that raise your blood sugar...

1. Frozen Dinners. Frozen dinners are notorious for containing tons of added sodium, not to mention additives. It is best to skip these and make as much of your food as you can. If you are short on time, try tossing together a salad with a lot of vegetables and a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

2. Soda and Juice. Both soda and juice are loaded with sugar! So don't be fooled about diet soda. Diet soda contains artificial sweeteners which are just as harmful as refined sugar. Skip the soda and fruit juice, and choose plain sparkling water sweetened with a splash of fresh lemon or lime juice.

3. Granola Bars. While often thought of as healthy snack choices, granola bars can contain as much added sugar as a candy bar! If granola bars are your go-to snack, then be sure to read the nutrition label, and skip anything that lists sugar as one of the first ingredients. Try sticking to a granola bar that is naturally sweetened with ingredients such as dried fruit, raw honey, or pure maple syrup.

4. Flavored Yogurt. While a convenient breakfast or snack choice, flavored yogurts are heavy on the sugar. The good news is you can still enjoy yogurt; choose full-fat unsweetened Greek yogurt and sweeten it yourself with fresh fruit and a drizzle of honey.

5. Protein Shakes. While not all protein shakes are unhealthy, many protein powders contain added sugar and artificial ingredients. Added unhealthy ingredients can be hard on the digestive system, can trigger inflammation, and can also cause blood sugar imbalances. If you do like to enjoy a protein shake as a convenient snack, try to stick to a protein powder free from added ingredients: protein powder such as collagen protein, or hemp protein.

While convenience foods can make eating on the go easy, they are not all healthy and can lead to a host of issues when it comes to balancing blood sugar levels. Skip the foods on this list, and choose one of the following healthier convenient food options...

• a piece of fruit with a handful of nuts,
• full-fat unsweetened yogurt with fruit,
• a bowl of overnight oats, or
• avocado toast.

Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.

For nearly 25 years Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.

The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Beverleigh_H_Piepers/123142

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ype 2 Diabetes - The Powerful Anti-Inflammatory Spice to Help Manage Diabetes

By Beverleigh H Piepers  |   Submitted On March 26, 2019

Turmeric may be one of the most effective anti-inflammatory spices in existence. It has long been known as being a powerful spice that has been used in India for thousands of years: used as a spice and a medicinal herb. Believe it or not, it may help you better control your Type 2 diabetes. A study published in The International Journal of Endocrinology and Metabolism looked at turmeric and its active compound curcumin and its ability to help manage Type 2 diabetes.

Here is what the research says about turmeric and Type 2 diabetes...

• increased glucose uptake,
• reduced hyperglycemia,
• improved pancreatic cell function, and
• diminished liver glucose production.

Overall studies on turmeric in regards to managing Type 2 diabetes found beneficial effects when it came to lowering blood sugar levels.

In addition to diabetes support, turmeric holds powerful anti-inflammatory health benefits, and the better you manage your inflammation, the better your health will be in general as the majority of disease seen today is linked to some form of inflammation. Tumeric helps your body to fight any foreign invaders. It also helps in repairing damage to your body.

Turmeric in addition to...

• removing processed sugars,
• processed foods, and
• additives from your diet,

can significantly help reduce the overall inflammatory load on your body.

How to Add Turmeric to Your Diet. So, how do you go about adding turmeric to your diet plan? One of the best ways is to make a turmeric milk latte using...

• ground turmeric,
• full-fat unsweetened coconut milk,
• a pinch of cracked black pepper, and
• a teaspoon of raw honey.

Enjoy this milk latte as an evening treat to help wind down your day, reduce inflammation, and support blood sugar balance. You can even add a pinch of ground cinnamon for added blood sugar support.

Here are some other ways you can add turmeric to your diet...

• blended into a smoothie,
• added to stir fries,
• enjoy a turmeric tea,
• sprinkle it over dark leafy green vegetables,
• use it in soup, or
• add a pinch to frittatas or omelets.

Turmeric is one of those spices proven to have more health benefits than one can count, and blood sugar management happens to be one of them. To help support overall health, and to help boost your diabetes management plan, try making turmeric a regular part of your diet plan. A little goes a long way, so you don't have to add a ton, just a sprinkle here and there, or a mug of turmeric milk will do your body good!

Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.

For nearly 25 years Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.

The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Beverleigh_H_Piepers/123142

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The Nutrition Message Nobody Wants to Hear

By Joan Kent  

Well, I won't keep you in suspense. The message has to do with sugar.

You may be thinking that everyone knows sugar's bad. And that does seem to be true. But not everyone stays away from it. And that's a problem, or at least a problem waiting to happen.

Not Connecting the Dots

When I was training to be a life coach, one of the instructor coaches was between 40 and 50 pounds overweight. One day she said, "I'm addicted to sugar, but I'm okay with it."

This woman clearly didn't connect her addiction to sugar with either her weight or any of the health problems she had. That's what I'd call not connecting the dots.

Cravings that Never Go Away

I receive newsletters with articles on sugar cravings that "never seem to go away." The various authors present themselves as nutrition experts. As a solution, they typically recommend products - that you can buy! - that taste just like chocolate and take away the sugar cravings.

Apparently, whatever these experts do with their daily food plans isn't keeping food cravings from returning.

Fact: Sugar cravings absolutely DO go away over time - potentially permanently - so it's a red flag for me if a nutrition 'expert' doesn't know how to make that happen for him/herself or for clients.

Falling for Sneaky, Sexy Sugars

The list of these is fairly long: agave nectar, coconut sugar, maple syrup, fruit (yes, fruit), fruit juice, honey, monk fruit extracts, date paste, and more.

It would be no surprise to discover that someone who uses these sneaky sugars is addicted to them or has cravings that never seem to go away completely. After all, they're sugar.

Which Brings Us to Paleo Menus

I'm on lots of lists and often receive menus for Paleo desserts and treats that use some of the above sneaky sugars. They're delicious, we're told.

My wisdom on this is simple: "Delicious" is suspicious.

And sugar is sugar. That's definitely not what anyone wants to hear, but it's true.

Fruits and Vegetables

What can I say? I wish people would stop lumping these two together. It makes them seem equally healthful, and they're not.

Fructose, the sugar in fruit, is a particularly harmful sugar. In fact, it's what makes sucrose (half fructose, half glucose) the junk we know it to be. In the science lit, all researchers seem to know this. If only the rest of us were willing to accept that!

A couple of servings of fruit a day is probably okay for most people. A serving is ½ cup or 1 medium fruit.

Yet some fruits may trigger an addictive reaction in some people. Self-awareness and self-honesty are key survival tools, and far better than going along with any mainstream push toward trending sugars.

I've Had to Change My Message

Several months ago, when joining a women's networking group, I made the mistake of introducing myself as a sugar addiction expert in my 30-second pitch. It led to nothing but fear. People are afraid to deal with sugar addiction, very likely because they know what happens when they go without sugar for any length of time.

But I'll end with this important message because it truly matters more than ever:

• Sugar is at the heart of the obesity epidemic. Not fat, not supersizes.
• Sugar increases appetite.
• Sugar leads to the consumption of extra fat. Many high-sugar foods contain fat. Fat also makes sugar tastes sweeter, so foods with both sugar and fat encourage overeating, and the calories can add up quickly.
• Sugar can increase blood pressure. More than salt.
• Sugar can increase serum cholesterol. More than fats.
• Sugar can raise triglycerides. More than fats.
• Sugar can lead to type 2 diabetes. Yes, it can.
• Sugar can contribute to mood swings, anxiety, depression and other mood issues.
• Sugar can interfere with optimal brain focus and work productivity.

I maintain that it can be easy to quit sugar if you know how - and to get rid of cravings long-term.

I would love to help you. Just visit http://www.LastResortNutrition.com and grab your free Empowered Eating Consult. Find out how a few steps, one at a time, can help you conquer sugar and cravings, as well as transform your moods and your health.

Brought to you by Dr. Joan Kent, best-selling author of Stronger Than Sugar: 7 Simple Steps to Defeat Sugar Addiction, Lift Your Mood, and Transform Your Health.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Joan_Kent/1748388

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Type 2 Diabetes and Healthy Living - Is High-Heat Cooking Bad For You?

By Beverleigh H Piepers  

As you go on with the fight to control your Type 2 diabetes and blood sugar levels, you might be interested to know how you prepare your meat could impact your risk factor for complications. By now you probably know taking in enough protein is key to controlling your blood sugar at every meal. So you are trying hard to include a reasonable amount of meat in your meal plan. However, are you cooking it healthily?

You could have also read grilling or barbequing your meat can increase the cancer-causing substances you have in your body and even eating a lot of red meat could increase your risk of developing certain cancers as well.

However, did you know there could be a connection between high-heat cooking and Type 2 diabetes? Researchers out of the Health Hospital at Harvard are finding just that. They noted the frequent use of high heat cooking methods including...

• broiling,
• barbequing,
• grilling and
• roasting

were all increasing the risk factor for Type 2 diabetes based on research carried out on over 289,000 participants. Those who often consumed meats prepared this way were more likely to be also suffering from Type 2 diabetes, showing this direct correlation. Note this may have not necessarily been just the cooking method, but how the food was cooked using sauces and so forth, and the link to weight gain. The test subjects were also more likely to be obese or very overweight, which in itself also increases the risk factor for developing Type 2 diabetes.

What is interesting to note is broiled fish seemed to be okay in the study. While there was not as much information on this, those who ate broiled fish often didn't show an elevated risk, which can lead us to believe it is not just the broiling but the type of protein being cooked that particular way.

Researchers also pointed out another of the reasons why this could be problematic is because there are potentially harmful chemicals that form during this type of cooking which can lead to an inflammatory response in our body. This then sets you down a chain of events that could lead to insulin resistance and Type 2 diabetes.

The take-home message in all this? Try alternative ways of cooking...

• slow cooking,
• baking,
• boiling,
• steaming,
• stewing, and
• stir-frying

are all healthier ways to cook your meat and help to prevent it from going past its succulent endpoint. When you overcook any meat, you are eliminating the fat and liquid, so all you are left with are the toughened muscle fibers.

Although managing your disease can be very challenging, Type 2 diabetes is not a condition you must just live with. You can make simple changes to your daily routine and lower both your weight and your blood sugar levels. Hang in there, the longer you do it, the easier it gets.

For nearly 25 years Beverleigh Piepers has searched for and found a number of secrets to help you build a healthy body. Go to http://DrugFreeType2Diabetes.com to learn about some of those secrets.

The answer isn't in the endless volumes of available information but in yourself.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Beverleigh_H_Piepers/123142

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