You are here: Home / Archives for blood sugar

Eight Ways to Keep Your Blood Sugar Lower

September 17, 2009 By

Sugar is in quite a lot of foods these days that we buy which tend to processed foods mostly. The problem with sugar is it tends to act in your body as a storage mechanism, when your liver is full of something called glycogen the excess is stored as fat.

Think of sugar as a way of saying to your body “hey lets store that as fat we don’t need it now as your not exercising”.

This is why when you’re trying to lose weight cutting down on sugar is one of the things that you need to do, as well as the amount of calories that you are eating.

Here are some techniques you can use to cut your blood sugar levels down;

1. At a University in Ohio in the United States , they did a study on various snack bars, to see what effect they would have on blood sugar each of the bars had three different levels of carbohydrates high, medium and low.

During the course of the experiment the participants blood sugar had their blood sugar measured, and compared to when they ate white bread, their blood sugar levels were 71 percent lower. The three snack bars used were, advantage bar, power bar and balance bar.

So if you want a more healthy breakfast avoid having one with high sugar content, the lower the refined carbohydrates the better. Opt for something that has more fibre content as well, fibre helps to slow down the absorption of glucose within the body. So avoid marmalade on white toasted bread for breakfast.

2. Do you like eating salads? Then this will apply to you during a study conducted in 2005. Some Swedish scientists found that if you have vinegar, with the food that you eat it could decrease blood sugar significantly. They ate white bread firstly and later tested with adding vinegar.

It affected their sugar levels by 23 percent, compared to when they ate white bread with vinegar. So the thing to do is have some salad with vinegar with it, when you have a high content carbohydrate meal.

3. Research done in Taiwan , found that by taking a certain mineral namely glucomannan, which contains soluble fibre, this is made from a root of a Japanese plant called konjac root. Participants who ate the root two hours before having some white bread toasted, had their blood sugar measured the results were as follows. They had a 20 percent reduction compared to having none of the fibre.

Another finding was participants who had the supplement before every meal three times a day had lower cholesterol levels as well, if you need more information regarding this particular supplement. You will need to search for nature’s way glucomannan.

4. Do you drink lots of coffee, or anything that contains a lot of caffeine? Research done in Canada , which looked at people that drunk coffee. Found when the participants had one or two cups of coffee before a high carbohydrate meal. Had 16 percent higher blood sugar levels, in comparison to when they had a caffeine free type.

When you have caffeine without any sugar, but with a dough nut or some sweet treat. The caffeine affects how your body burns fat.  So avoid having a high sugar content snack with your drink.

And if you have a drink with your breakfast don’t have white bread with toast and marmalade and a cup of coffee. Instead, have a piece of fruit or some high fibre cereal like porridge or oatmeal. This will work far better.

5. Researchers found that by taking a certain metal mineral, chromium picolinate. Had a profound effect on participants, whom had it with their food. When the men took a small amount of it, 400 micrograms. Before eating a high carbohydrate meal, they had a 23 percent reduction in their blood sugar levels. If you want to try this particular mineral, then you only need a 400 milligrams dosage. For it to be effective

6. Have a good workout session, in the morning researchers found that when you have a good cardio session. The blood sugar lowering effect can last for more than 12 hours after wards and it will result in a 15 percent reduction.

The reason for this being is the exercise draws upon your bodies stored glucose within your muscles, it’s used up when you work out. As levels deplete, your body keeps working on its reserves to make sure there is plenty of glucose so you can keep doing what you need to do.

If you exercise at one level and then exercise for a minute at a more intense level this will have a two fold effect, you will make your body work harder so you become fitter the next time you do a workout, and you will use more glucose up this will lower your levels even further.

So when you’re doing your workout if you’re doing a 20 minute workout every other two to three minutes. Make sure you work at a higher intensity for one minute this will double the impact of your routine.

7. When researchers conducted a study around a natural supplement, they had some good test results come back. When participants ate Phaseolus vulgaris which originates from kidney beans, and had some before a high sugar meal.

Two hours later when their blood sugar was checked they had a 57 percent reduction. In comparison to when they had a placebo supplement, this supplement slows down the rate at which the carbohydrates are absorbed within your body thus dampening the effect of glucose uptake.

8. Eat avocados this fruit has a lot of fats that alter your insulin resistance, and will lower your blood sugar. Not only that avocados also helps to lower your cholesterol levels as well namely LDL cholesterol. So you double the bang for your buck

Source and references

http://www.menshealth.com/

Incoming search terms for the article:

sugar ,sugar act ,how to keep blood sugar down ,sugar act pictures ,ways to keep your blood sugar down ,ways to keep blood sugar down
Filed Under: Healthy Eating Tagged With: ,

What Are The Top Ten Foods For Optimum Health?

August 27, 2009 By

fruit and vegetablesIt is probably fair to say that, there is no definitive list of what the top ten foods you should eat for optimum health, but here are some good pointers from various different sites.

As well as the ones I think should be in a top ten.

The Mayo Clinic in their top ten list, has the following foods they say the reason for them being there are the following reasons; they have lots of nutrition in, have an excellent source of vitamins and minerals.

At number one they have almonds the reasons they give for eating them are they have lots of nutrition in them such as fibre, riboflavin, iron and calcium, they say that almonds have one of the highest levels of calcium in them as far as nuts are concerned, also they contain a good source of plant protein. If you are a vegetarian then you can get protein by eating these nuts.

Their second suggestion is apples myself would I give a thumbs up with this choice, the main reason being is apples contain something called pectin, which is a fibre that fills your stomach up, it expands so you tend to eat less.

If you eat one Apple with each meal that you have, so you eat three apples you will tend to eat less food throughout the day. Apples have a built in appetite suppressant. They also have blood glucose lowering properties, as well as preventing the build-up of cholesterol within your bloodstream.

At number three, they have blueberries this is fruit has been getting a lot of attention recently and being hailed as a super food. I never used to eat these but I have been recently making green smoothies with them or eating them raw, they taste delicious. Blueberries contain high levels of vitamin C and lots of fibre hence why they are so good for you.

The next on their list at number four is broccoli, this is quite a strange looking food it can look like a mini tree but don’t be put off by how it looks, broccoli is packed full of nutrition some of the health benefits listed are prevention of diabetes.

Preventing heart related problems, and the prevention of some cancers. When you boil broccoli or steam it, or have it with some other vegetables such as potatoes and meat, it does taste delicious.

Number five is red beans on the Mayo Clinics list and the health properties of red beans are, high in phosphorous, potassium, copper and thiamin. They are low in fat have good antioxidant properties, which help prevent heart disease and cancer.  They have good levels of fibre, protein, and magnesium. Red beans are a good all-rounder as far as nutrition and health is concerned.

Next up we have salmon, which is number six on their list, one of the reasons it is a good idea to eat, oily fish such as salmon, is because of the high amount of omega three fatty oils that they contain.

These particular types of fatty acids stop the build-up of cholesterol in your body, of the  LDL type, which is the one that you do not need. Salmon tends to be also high in protein, which is another plus factor.

Salmon can also help with lowering blood pressure, so if you suffer from it, it might be a good idea for you to incorporate more oily fish into your diet.

Next down the list is something that I have recently been incorporating into my diet, which is spinach this is number seven on their list, I don’t know if you can remember a cartoon called Popeye which was based around a sailor a villain and his wife.

But when Popeye used to get into scrapes, and needed some extra strength, he would eat spinach in order to accomplish what he needed to do. Here are the health benefits of spinach, which tends to be high in both vitamins A and C and contains folate as well.

It contains vitamin B6, which is a vitamin you may need if you are suffering from stress or depression. It has also immune system boosting properties, so if you are ill or your immune system needs a quick boost spinach would be ideal for yourself, it can also help with maintaining healthy hair and skin.

In at number eight sweet potatoes, these contain a high amount of beta-carotene; your body uses this to convert into vitamin A, that particular vitamin may help with slowing down the ageing process. Another particularly good benefit of sweet potatoes is they are, high in fibre compared to their counterpart the normal potato. They taste a lot better also.

As far as vitamins are concerned, they contain the following vitamins A, C and E, and minerals folate and potassium. Sweet potatoes undoubtedly are a good all rounder. If you have never tried them they are highly recommended, they taste delicious.

At number, nine they recommend vegetable juice, so clearly this is a case of buying some vegetable juice such as tomato juice or any other, which you prefer or making your own at home all you need to do is just by your own juicer.

If you go with tomato juice which is one of the things that they recommend, it’s health benefits are good it contains something called a lycopene this is a very powerful antioxidant and may prevent heart problems.

Finally, at number, ten on their list is wheat germ; wheat germ has many nutrients in it, which are thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, folate, magnesium, iron, potassium, and zinc.

Wheat germ is a good all-rounder if you’re lacking in essential vitamins and minerals. This concludes the list from the Mayo Clinic.

The Daily Mail has their top 10 super foods, which are

Number one, Apples please sees the above information regarding apples

At number, two they have baked beans surprisingly enough even though these are quite a basic food, some people may sometimes under estimate them.

They have insoluble fibre in which is good for digestion also they contain a lot of protein and the tomato sauce, contains lypocene please see tomatoes for the benefits of lypocene.

Next, they have broccoli to read about broccoli please see the Mayo Clinics list

At number four they have, olive oil the reason for it being there is according to them is the large amount of mono saturated fat it contains. In addition, it has LDL cholesterol lowering properties, which is another good reason to use olive oil when you are cooking something; it has high levels of antioxidants.

Number five, they have listed wholegrain bread the reason being is this type of bread is known, as a low GI food which means that it breaks down slower giving a time delay affect as far as glucose is concerned.

It will keep your blood sugar more stable over a longer period so you will feel less hungry. More so than if, you ate conventional white bread. Wholegrain bread or wholemeal bread contains more fibre, which is another good reason to eat it; it will keep your bowel movements more regular.

Listed at number six, they have put Salmon please see above for health properties of salmon.

At number seven, they have conventional tea, which is something British people tend to drink a lot of , the reasons they give are it counts towards your fluid intake, and depending on what type of tea you drink various different brands have high levels of antioxidants which are good at cell protection. Green tea also has very high levels of antioxidants and is supposed to be able to help with weight loss.

At number, eight they have yoghurt and their reason for it being there are as follows. High levels of calcium, which is essential for, bone growth and healthy teeth, and it is ideal for people who have intolerance to the sugar in milk, which is lactose. Yoghurt is very beneficial for the health of your large intestine so if you have stomach upsets then this may be a good choice for you.

At number, nine they list bananas, among the health properties of bananas are potassium, which they are high in so if you have problems with high blood pressure they make an ideal choice, they also have good levels of vitamins B6 and are very high in antioxidants. People have this misconception about bananas thinking they are fattening this seems to be more of a myth. And finally at number ten they have listed Brazil nuts, the health properties of these, are they have high levels of selenium which may help fend off cancer, Alzheimer’s and depression.

Here is my own compilation list of the top ten health foods.

First on the top of my list would be sweet potatoes main reason being is they have so many benefits, as in essential vitamins and minerals contained within contained within them

Number two would be blueberries, please see the Mayo Clinics list for the health benefits of blueberries.

At number, three would be garlic even though many people may not like eating this, it is a very beneficial food; it has cholesterol-lowering properties, can help with lowering blood pressure, and may help with preventing blood clots from forming.

It is also very good for your liver one of the best ways to eat it is raw if you can stand it, on its own raw it can be very strong.

Number four would be dandelion tea this is also a very good antioxidant and is great for flushing your liver out, one of the things that people don’t particularly understand is if you have a sluggish liver, it can interfere with losing weight that is why it is important sometimes to eat certain foods which support it.

I would also put here peppermint tea and green tea both because of their high antioxidant properties.

Number five would be onions or spring onions, onions tend to be very good for cleaning out your system and probably something we don’t tend to eat enough of, in India some people were randomly checked whom didn’t eat onions they had higher cholesterol levels compared to those who didn’t eat onions.

They also tend to have anti-clotting agents similar to those in garlic. They may also help prevent cancer. In countries where people eat many onions, there incidences of stomach cancer tend to be a lot lesser.

Number six would be tomatoes please refer to the above references to tomatoes.

Number seven would be green and red bell peppers, mainly because of the following health benefits, they may help in preventing the following cancer’s, cervical cancer and prostrate cancer which is something that men tend to suffer from more than women do. They have high levels of beta-carotene in which can be essential for good health, and high levels of vitamin A and have immune system boosting properties.

Number eight would be avocados this is something else that a lot of people don’t pay attention to, there are so many foods that we don’t even know exist but pay little attention to. These have high levels of antioxidants, good fats, potassium, and essential vitamins.

Number nine strawberries, these are one of my favourite fruits when they are in season here, they are high in iron so if you are feeling a bit rundown or tired then strawberries may be able to help you, strawberries are very good for cleansing your whole system throughout.

And finally number ten beetroot, its health benefits are high levels of beta-carotene, folic acid and contains powerful ingredients for liver detoxification, so if you’re feeling a bit sluggish beetroot may be a good choice, it will also help with losing weight if that is what you’re trying to achieve.

Sources and references

http://mayoclinic.com/health/health-foods/NU00632

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-369042/The-10-super-foods.html

Incoming search terms for the article:

top 10 health foods ,top 10 healthy foods ,Foods for Optimum Health ,optimum foods ,best foods for optimum health ,food for optimum health
Filed Under: Healthy Eating Tagged With: ,

Tart Cherries May Be able to Reduce Belly Fat

April 22, 2009 By

517161705_32752b6e8d[1]There have been one or two stories just recently about certain fruit and how they can help reduce belly fat, I came across another one today and it seemed to coincide quite nicely with the post I wrote the other day. Instead of blueberries this time it’s Tart Cherries and this is one fruit I have never actually heard of.

It’s been found that eating this particular fruit can help with problems which revolve around something called metabolic syndrome, and risks involved with cardiovascular problems heart disease and the problems associated with it which can be diabetes, high blood pressure, levels of cholesterol, blood sugar levels etc.

The particular study was funded by the Cherry Marketing Institute, they had no particular say what was done in the study but provided the funding for it, in the particular study which was carried out on mice they identified a group of mice that had some of the symptoms of metabolic syndrome.

What the mice ate in their diet was a high fat and in moderation carbohydrate diet, or a low fat high carbohydrate diet, the mice within the group that ate the Cherry powder within their diet were monitored for a 12 week period.

After which certain levels were checked the cholesterol levels in the mice were reduced by 12 percent, body fat was 54 percent, and compared to the other group which were not fed the powder their body fat percentage was 64 percent.

The most noticeable place that the body fat was not present was around the abdominal area, one of the reasons this might be happening is due to the high antioxidant levels that the cherries contain yet another victory for eating certain fruits I have a feeling that quite a few more of these stories will pop up over time.

Source http://www.freshplaza.com/

Incoming search terms for the article:

how to reduce belly ,how to reduce belly fat ,what are tart cherries ,cherries tart ,can tart cherries help you lose weight ,how to reduce stomach tyres
Filed Under: Weight Loss Tagged With: ,

Blueberries May Be able To Reduce Belly Fat

April 21, 2009 By

Blueberries may be one particular fruit that we don’t always eat as much as we probably should, I know I don’t eat them as often as I should, they are already classed as a super food because of their high vitamin and mineral content these new findings which revolve around stomach fat are quite interesting

Scientists have been doing studies on animals by feeding them freeze-dried blueberries and crushing in them into a powder, to see what effect it had on them, the scientists who conducted the study seem to think that blueberries make our bodies process sugar and fat differently when we eat them.

The results from the studies found that when the rats were given, blueberries mixed in with their food they lost fat from their stomachs, their blood sugar was more normal and their cholesterol levels were lower also.

Although all the tests were done on laboratory animals, the scientists who conducted the study are hoping that the same may be true for humans, the particular rats which were used in the study ones that were known with having obesity, but after eating the blueberry mixture for a period of over 90 days.

Their abdomens were significantly reduced compared to those who who just ate, what they would normally eat in a day, the also showed better levels of what is known as fasting glucose and better insulin capabilities, this is how well the body uses glucose as a energy source.

From what the scientists say, it’s largely due to the fact that blueberries contain high levels of phytochemicals, which work as a highly effective antioxidant within the body. One of the leading researchers on the study Micheal Seymour said that the blueberries affected a gene which governs the storage of fat and the burning of it . This sounds like it could be another thumbs up for raw food.

Blueberries have also been found to contain other chemicals which may help in preventing bowel cancer. This is very good news as far as eating fruit is concerned but we must remember that the studies were done on rats but still it is still a very significant finding to say the least.

Source http://www.mailonsunday.co.uk

Incoming search terms for the article:

blueberries weight loss ,dried blueberries health benefits ,blue berries ,reduce belly fat ,How long to lose belly weight Blueberry ,blueberry belly fat
Filed Under: Weight Loss Tagged With: ,

Why Does Eating Low GI Food’s Make You Feel Full ?

March 30, 2009 By

GI dietBasically the GI diet is eating foods that have a low GI value, when you eat this particular way, it takes longer for the food to be broken down in your body than it would do eating high GI foods instead.

Scientists have recently been wondering why this happens and think they may have arrived at a conclusion as to why, and how this happens. Some scientists from Kings College London, examined what happened in people stomach’s when they ate either a high GI or low GI meal.

GI is related to how quickly carbohydrates are broken down in your body each is given a specific number value and the lower the number the better, the higher the number is then it will take less time for the carbohydrates to be broken down into sugar, eating this way can be beneficial to people who may have diabetes.

Some examples of high GI foods can be white bread, Kellogg’s cornflakes, jacket potatoes eaten with nothing else, whereas low GI foods tend to be things like most fruit and vegetables. The scientists knew that eating foods that were low GI somehow managed to curb people’s appetites but they didn’t quite know why this was.

To try and find out why they conducted some experiments on some people they gave 12 healthy volunteers a low GI meal and then a high GI meal, to see what difference there were between the two meals.

Each participant ate a medium GI meal for lunch and then fasted until breakfast the next morning, when they came to eat breakfast the next morning they were either given a low scoring GI meal or a high scoring GI meal. Then blood samples were taken from the participants to see what differences there were, between each group and what they ate. The blood samples were taken the blood samples were taken every every 30 minutes for approximately 150 minutes.

They measured the levels of a gut hormone, which is called glucagon-like peptide 1 or short for GLP-1, they also measured levels of insulin, the aforementioned gut hormone is known particularly for its ability for suppressing appetite in people and making them feel full.

The results of the tests were those people who ate a low GI breakfast, had 20 percent more of the hormone GLP-1 and 38 percent lesser in insulin, compared to those who ate a high GI breakfast who had lower levels or none at all of the hormone and higher insulin levels.

This This overall proves that eating meals with a low GI component can make you feel fuller longer so hence you eat less, another thing we can take away from this is lower insulin levels, when you have high insulin levels, it can tend to make you more hungry overtime.

Even though this was a particularly small study done on people, it is quite good news if you do follow the GI diet and

In a way proves that it’s all not hot air. Like some people seem to think it is. The thing is with all these studies etc is don’t knock it until you have tried it. If you have any opinions or comments you would like to leave about this particular article please feel free to do so.

Source http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/03/090317201139.htm

Related articles by Zemanta
Reblog this post [with Zemanta]

Incoming search terms for the article:

low gi foods ,low gi food list uk ,list of low gi foods uk ,low gi food ,low gi foods uk ,gi foods uk
Filed Under: Healthy Eating Tagged With: ,

20 Healthy Low Calorie Snack Ideas

March 6, 2009 By

In todays hectic life we can often end up eating the wrong foods as snack’s, but hopefully this list will encourage you or2747742480_b1ef740314[1] anyone else for that matter, who wants or needs a healthy alternative.

Fruits

Are great low calorie foods and have other health properties as well

Fruits that are less than 100 calories

1 x cup of cherries = 65 calories, health benefits are contain vitamin C, A, high in antioxidants, melatonin which helps with sleep, helps protect against heart disease and certain cancers, a lesser risk of developing diabetes, and has anti-aging properties also

1 x banana = 81 calories, not only that they have other vital minerals in such as potassium.

1 x orange = 77 calories and are a good source of vitamin C

1 x apple = 80 calories have pectin in, which is a fibre that expands in your stomach and keeps you fuller longer try eating a apple or two before a main meal and see how it keeps hunger at bay

1 x half a cup blueberries = 45 calories these have powerful antioxidant properties which may help prevent heart disease, unrinary tract infections, and may also prevent cancer

2 x plums = 60 calories these are great for stopping eye problems macular degeneration, great source of vitamin C which is a needed boost in the winter season

1 x grapefruit = 72 calories this a good fruit to eat if your concerned about getting diabetes, it lowers insulin consult, your health care professional if you are diabetic and want to eat grapefruit it can interact with certain medications

1 x tangerine = 37 calories also high in vitamin C and fibre

1 x kiwi fruit = 46 calories these are high in vitamin C E and A vitamins, and are also very high in fibre, so a great for keeping your digestion in good working order

1 x peach or nectarine = 37 calories health benefits are good for lowering cholesterol, and regenerating skin tissue and also contain many essential vitamins A B1,B2 which help keep the nervous system functioning correctly so if your feeling stressed a peach may be able to help.

1 x a half a cup of some raspberries = 41 calories, these are high in vitamin C, folate and potassium which can help with lowering blood pressure, and have high amounts of insoluble fibre, which is a benefit if you have constipation problems.

1 x half a cup of a fruit cocktail in its own juices = 60 calories the content of vitamins and minerals will be dependent on what is in the cocktail.

1 x ripe tomato or some cherry tomatoes = 33 calories health benefits are contain lypocene this is well known for keeping cancer at bay, this is because lypocene is a powerful antioxidant which protects cells from toxins from the environment eg pollutants, also contains vitamins A,C,K minerals, potassium and dietary fibre.

Vegetables

that are under a hundred calories

Contain lots of nutrition and essential vitamins and minerals

1 x cucumber = 60 calories, health benefits are high in water so will fill your stomach making you feel full, high in fibre essential for good digestive health, contains potassium for lowering blood pressure, also contains vitamin C and magnesium

1 x small sized baked potato = 80 calories potatoes are high in vitamin C, vitamin B6 as well as minerals potassium, magnesium, copper and a good source of dietary fibre which is essential for good stomach and bowel health

1 x oatmeal a full cup of  = 146 calories, eat half for one snack during the day or eat on alternate days, health benefits contains fibre that mops up cholesterol which end up in the stomach, and would otherwise end up in your blood stream

Contains soluble fibre which is good for people watching there blood sugar levels, so ideal for diabetics, this is because the carbs are released slowly, making you feel fuller longer you can eat porridge at any time of the day it’s a bit of a misconception that you just have to eat it for breakfast also contains vitamins E1 B1 and 2

1 x celery sticks small ones = 20 calories these contain vitamins A B1, B2, B3, B5, B6, C, E and K minerals, are a good source of potassium a known blood pressure lowering component and a good source of fibre, have a high levels of calcium which is good for nervous system function making you feel calmer if your overly stressed.

1 x piece of whole grain bread, toasted = calories 85 health benefits are high fibre content, so leaves you feeling fuller longer, contain B vitamins, iron which helps with the movement of oxygen to blood cells, magnesium for a healthy nervous system, and folate which is of benefit for keeping red blood cells healthy, great for overall digestive health, keeps you regular, or if you maybe having constipation problems

Dairy produce

has some health benefits not all are bad

1x egg hard boiled or poached, health benefits are high in protein low in cholesterol eggs contain a lot of vitamins. In particular, B vitamins and are high in vitamin B2 riboflavin, and vitamin B12 ,D and A.

they have many necessary minerals and other’s such as phosphorus, iodine and selenium and iron and zinc are present in lesser amounts. Eggs have had a lot of bad press at times there not as bad for you as once thought

1x small portion of low fat cottage cheese = 70 calories, health benefits, is the lowest in fat as far as cheeses go. Has a very good source of protein without the worry of eating to much fat, high levels of potassium see other foods above for health benefits of potassium, and high in calcium which is essential for healthy teeth and bones.

Going through this list should help you if your stuck for ideas for snacks, you could use the above to form a sandwich box that you can take anywhere, so your not tempted to eat other foods which can be the case when your at work, crisps and chocolate fit into office draws quite well so I hear.

If you have any other ideas for snack’s, do let me know I’m always open to other one’s that might not be present in this list.

Data Source http://www.fitnessireland.ie/100snacks.php

Incoming search terms for the article:

low calorie snacks ,healthy snack ideas ,low calorie foods ,low calorie snack ideas ,healthy low calorie snacks ,low calorie snack
Filed Under: Diets Tagged With: ,

Bad Behavior has blocked 1868 access attempts in the last 7 days.