How Do I Reduce My Belly Fat?
This is going to be a long answer. Just hang on, all my rambles are always worth it in the end :) Why Is Tummy Fat More Difficult To Get Rid Off (For Men)? The “stubborn bellyy fat” is almost identical to “normal” fat. But it has one crucial difference. “Normal” white fat contains high amounts of beta-2-receptors and low amounts of alpha-2-receptors while stubborn fat contains low amounts of beta-2-receptors and high amounts of alpha-2-receptors. This is crucial because beta-2-receptors stimulate the breakdown of fat and increase the blood flow to fat tissue while alpha-2-receptors inhibit the breakdown of fat and decrease and blood flow to fat tissue. Basically; the ratio of alpha-2 to beta-2-receptors of a fat tissue depends whether it get’s burned off easily or difficult. Males usually have higher levels alpha-2-receptors in their fat tissue covering their abdominal region while females have high levels across their hip region. That’s why males have a harder time getting rid of their (last pounds) of belly fat. How Fat Loss Works Before we can take a look at how to lose stubborn belly fat, there is some crucial information you have to be aware of. Unfortunately, this stuff is almost never talked about (even not by the “weight loss guru’s” While fat loss themselves is a complex process, there are 3 phases in which it can be broken down. These are: 1. Breakdown The first thing that needs to happen is that fat tissue (triglycerides) should be getting released out of your fat cells. This is a very important step since if fat doesn’t get released out the fat cells (due to whatever reason) it can not be burned away. Whether or whether not fat get released out of their fat cells depends on a few hormones. By far the most important ones are insulin an Continue reading >>
Diabetes Symptoms You Can’t Afford To Ignore & What You Can Do About Them
In the U.S., diabetes — or diabetes mellitus (DM) — is full-blown epidemic, and that’s not hyperbole. An estimated 29 million Americans have some form of diabetes, nearly 10 percent of the population, and even more alarming, the average American has a one in three chance of developing diabetes symptoms at some point in his or her lifetime. (1) The statistics are alarming, and they get even worse. Another 86 million people have prediabetes, with up to 30 percent of them developing type 2 diabetes within five years. And perhaps the most concerning, about a third of people who have diabetes — approximately 8 million adults — are believed to be undiagnosed and unaware. That’s why it’s so vital to understand and recognize diabetes symptoms. And there’s actually good news. While there’s technically no known “cure” for diabetes — whether it’s type 1, type 2 or gestational diabetes — there’s plenty that can be done to help reverse diabetes naturally, control diabetes symptoms and prevent diabetes complications. The Most Common Diabetes Symptoms Diabetes mellitus is a metabolic disorder that results from problems controlling the hormone insulin. Diabetes symptoms are a result of higher-than-normal levels of glucose (sugar) in your blood. With type 1 diabetes, symptoms usually develop sooner and at a younger age than with type 2 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes also normally causes more severe symptoms. In fact, because type 2 diabetes signs and symptoms can be minimal in some cases, it sometimes can go diagnosed for a long period of time, causing the problem to worsen and long-term damage to develop. While it’s still not entirely known how this happens, prolonged exposure to high blood sugar can damage nerve fibers that affect the blood vessels, heart, e Continue reading >>
Diabetes Type 1
On this page: Every day, two more Australian children and as many as six Australians of all ages develop type 1 diabetes, which makes it one of the most common serious diseases among children. Diabetes is a condition of the endocrine system (the system of glands that delivers hormones). To use glucose (blood sugar) for energy, the hormone insulin needs to be secreted by the pancreas, a gland located in the abdomen. A person with type 1 diabetes is unable to produce insulin. Treatment involves closely monitoring blood sugar levels, modifying diet and taking daily injections of insulin. Type 1 diabetes can affect anyone, but is more common in people under 30 years and tends to begin in childhood. Other names for type 1 diabetes have included juvenile diabetes and insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Approximately one in every ten Australians with diabetes has type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes is much more common in Australia than in other countries. The pancreas and type 1 diabetes The digestive system breaks down carbohydrates into glucose. This simple sugar is then transported to each cell via the bloodstream. The pancreas secretes the hormone insulin, which allows the glucose to migrate from the blood into the cells. Once inside a cell, the glucose is ‘burned’, along with oxygen, to produce energy. The pancreas of a person with type 1 diabetes doesn’t make enough insulin to keep blood glucose normal. Without insulin, the glucose remains in the bloodstream at high levels. The body recognises the problem and tries to provide the cells with other sources of fuel, such as stored fats. Extensive fat burning can release by-products called ketones, which are dangerous in high amounts. Symptoms of type 1 diabetes The symptoms of type 1 diabetes include: excessive t Continue reading >>
Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus Treatment & Management
Approach Considerations Patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (DM) require lifelong insulin therapy. Most require 2 or more injections of insulin daily, with doses adjusted on the basis of self-monitoring of blood glucose levels. Long-term management requires a multidisciplinary approach that includes physicians, nurses, dietitians, and selected specialists. In some patients, the onset of type 1 DM is marked by an episode of diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA) but is followed by a symptom-free “honeymoon period” in which the symptoms remit and the patient requires little or no insulin. This remission is caused by a partial return of endogenous insulin secretion, and it may last for several weeks or months (sometimes for as long as 1-2 years). Ultimately, however, the disease recurs, and patients require insulin therapy. Often, the patient with new-onset type 1 DM who presents with mild manifestations and who is judged to be compliant can begin insulin therapy as an outpatient. However, this approach requires close follow-up and the ability to provide immediate and thorough education about the use of insulin; the signs, symptoms, and treatment of hypoglycemia; and the need to self-monitor blood glucose levels. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends using patient age as one consideration in the establishment of glycemic goals, with targets for preprandial, bedtime/overnight, and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels. [5] In 2014, the ADA released a position statement on the diagnosis and management of type 1 diabetes in all age groups. The statement includes a new pediatric glycemic control target of HbA1c of less than 7.5% across all pediatric age groups, replacing earlier guidelines that specified different glycemic control targets by age. The adult HbA1c target of les Continue reading >>
- The Impact of Bariatric Surgery on Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and the Management of Hypoglycemic Events
- Olive oil in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies and intervention trials
- Glycaemic control in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus during and after cancer treatment: A systematic review and meta-analysis
Type 1 Diabetes Prevention
Currently, there is no way to prevent type 1 diabetes. Researchers are still working to fully understand what causes or triggers type 1; without fully understanding that, it’s difficult to prevent the disease. Type 1 diabetes isn’t like type 2 diabetes, which at times can be prevented by taking good care of your body—watching your diet and staying physically fit and active. You can learn more about type 2 prevention in our article. With type 1 diabetes, you can stave off or prevent the short-term and long-term complications of the disease. By reading our article on type 1 complications, you can learn more about how to stave off or even avoid eye, nerve, kidney, and heart disease. Continue reading >>
Is It Possible To Prevent Or Delay Type 1 Diabetes?
A partnership between JDRF and Janssen Pharmaceuticals seeks ways to intercept the disease before it progresses. What if there was a way to determine exactly who would develop type 1 diabetes (T1D) and doctors could intervene to prevent it altogether or at least delay the onset by years? JDRF, a leading research advocacy organization, and the Disease Interception Accelerator (DIA) group of Janssen Pharmaceuticals announced a joint venture earlier this year to take on this challenge.1 The goal is to identify the root cause of T1D and intercept its progression to disease before symptoms arise. There have been many questions about the actual cause of T1D. Work in recent years suggests there is a window of opportunity to stop or delay the disease before the onset of clinical symptoms of the disease.2,3 The autoimmune response directed against beta cells is suggested to be secondary to tissue damage and unrelated to disease pathogenesis.4 The presence of antibodies against the islets of Langerhans that were detected in the serum of patients diagnosed with T1D, but not in healthy individuals, led to the suggestion of the autoimmune etiology of T1D.4 Although T1D has been referred to by many names, such as juvenile diabetes or insulin-dependent diabetes, the treatment has always been the same: insulin. T1D is a pancreatic beta cell specific disease that results in absolute insulin deficiency.4,5 Data from the United Kingdom suggest life expectancy of adults with T1D is reduced by up to 13 years.6,7 The symptoms of T1D are similar to type 2 diabetes, including frequent urination and feeling thirsty, hungry, or tired. Additionally, with T1D, there is the possibility of sudden weight loss, nausea and vomiting from the build-up of ketones in the body, and diabetic ketoacidosis.8 A Continue reading >>
Prevention Of Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus
INTRODUCTION The increase in understanding of the pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes mellitus (formerly known as insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus) has made it possible to consider intervention to slow the autoimmune disease process in an attempt to delay or even prevent the onset of hyperglycemia. This topic will review current and planned efforts to prevent type 1 diabetes. Subjects who are at high risk for type 1 diabetes can be identified using a combination of immune, genetic, and metabolic markers. (See "Prediction of type 1 diabetes mellitus".) In the current classification of diabetes, immune-mediated type 1 diabetes is called type 1A to distinguish it from less common cases in which an autoimmune etiology cannot be determined (type 1B); the latter are said to be idiopathic [1]. The term type 1 diabetes used here refers to type 1A, or autoimmune diabetes. (See "Classification of diabetes mellitus and genetic diabetic syndromes".) PREVENTION AND REVERSAL STRATEGIES Several immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory agents and other drugs have been given either alone or in combination to decrease the immune-mediated destruction of beta cells that occurs in type 1 diabetes [2]. Most of the studies have been performed in recent-onset diabetes, where the majority of beta-cell function has already been lost, and the anticipated outcome is preservation of remaining beta-cell function, usually measured as area under the curve (AUC) insulin secretion in response to stimulation. Many of the studies involve small numbers of patients and are uncontrolled. Immunomodulators Azathioprine — Azathioprine is an immunosuppressive drug that inhibits or prevents T cell responses to antigens. In one randomized, double-blind study of 46 patients treated with azathioprine and glucocortico Continue reading >>
High Fibre Diet 'could Prevent Type 1 Diabetes'
Scientists have raised hope for the prevention of early-onset diabetes in children after a fibre-rich diet was found to protect animals from the disease. More than 20 million people worldwide are affected by type 1 diabetes, which takes hold when the immune system turns on the body and destroys pancreatic cells that make the hormone insulin. It is unclear what causes the immune system to malfunction, but patients are usually diagnosed with type 1 diabetes before the age of 14 and must have daily shots of insulin to control their blood sugar levels. Working with Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, researchers at Monash University in Melbourne created a diet rich in fibre that is broken down in the lower intestine into molecules known as short-chain fatty acids. The team, led by immunologist Charles Mackay, believe that short-chain fatty acids called butyrate and acetate dampen down the immune system, and have the potential to treat a range of disorders from asthma to irritable bowel syndrome. For the latest study, the scientists monitored the health of mice that were bred to develop the rodent equivalent of type 1 diabetes. On a normal diet, more than 70% of the animals had developed the condition after 30 weeks. But another group that received the high fibre diet was nearly entirely protected from the condition. “What we saw was dramatic,” Mackay said. “When we give the diet to mice that spontaneously develop type 1 diabetes, we could almost completely eliminate their disease.” Mackay said it was too early to know whether such “medicinal foods” could protect people from type 1 diabetes. “There have been frustrations in the past that findings in these animals have not translated particularly well to human patients, but at other times they do,” h Continue reading >>
What Are The Best Ways To Fight Diabetes Type 2?
Do not listen to the American Diabetes Association. I say this because for years and years they recommended the low fat, high carb diet that made a lot of people develop diabetes in the first place. This is the sort of crap that at one point or another bore the American Diabetes Association logo. See I spend years following their advice. I was injecting insulin and still had an average blood sugar of 190 (A1C of 9.) I do give the American Diabetes Association some credit. Finally, they were dragged kicking and screaming into finally recommending a low carb diet. You can’t cure type 2 diabetes but you can put it into remission. Doctors around the world are doing just that using the low carb, high fat ketogenic diet. Dr. Timothy Noakes, South African medical professor who has started a “Real Meal Revolution” in South Africa and dedicated the Noakes foundation to treating diabetes through the low carb diet. Really there are lots of others. There are a number of people just like me on Quora who will tell you how they have reversed diabetes and have normal blood sugars with no diabetes medicine. It really works. Type 2 diabetes is a lifestyle disease and many people can treat it just through diet alone. My body needs a bit more help and I need exercise to drive my blood sugar to normal. Continue reading >>
Diabetes Basics
Basics of diabetes Diabetes is a condition caused by lack of a chemical in the body (a hormone) called insulin. There are two major forms of diabetes. In type 1 diabetes eventually no insulin is produced and individuals require insulin injections for survival. It used to be thought this only presented in children, but it is now clear this can occur at any age. The other more common form of diabetes called type 2 diabetes occurs due to the body's resistance to the effects of insulin in addition to an insufficient quantity of insulin. However, in this type of diabetes there is usually some insulin produced. For both types of diabetes, blood glucose levels are elevated. Furthermore, people with diabetes are prone to certain complications not seen in those without diabetes. These complications involve the eye (retinopathy), kidney (nephropathy) and nerves (neuropathy). People with diabetes also get early hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis), leading to early heart attacks and strokes. The good news for people with diabetes is that with proper care all of these problems can be avoided. Immediate medical attention Uncontrolled diabetes presents with frequent thirst and urination. Over time, patients will become dehydrated as the glucose is "spilling" over into the urine. If insulin deficiency is severe enough, fat stores are used for energy as glucose cannot get into cells. This problem is much more common with type 1 diabetes and is called "ketoacidosis". It can be diagnosed at home with a simple urine test. When significant ketones are found in the urine, it is important to be in touch with a physician immediately. There are other conditions that require immediate attention. Blurry vision in someone with known diabetic eye disease or someone with a long history of di Continue reading >>
13 Ways To Prevent Diabetes
Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects millions of people worldwide. Uncontrolled cases can cause blindness, kidney failure, heart disease and other serious conditions. Before diabetes is diagnosed, there is a period where blood sugar levels are high but not high enough to be diagnosed as diabetes. This is known as prediabetes. It's estimated that up to 70% of people with prediabetes go on to develop type 2 diabetes. Fortunately, progressing from prediabetes to diabetes isn't inevitable (1). Although there are certain factors you can't change — such as your genes, age or past behaviors — there are many actions you can take to reduce the risk of diabetes. Here are 13 ways to avoid getting diabetes. Eating sugary foods and refined carbs can put at-risk individuals on the fast track to developing diabetes. Your body rapidly breaks these foods down into small sugar molecules, which are absorbed into your bloodstream. The resulting rise in blood sugar stimulates your pancreas to produce insulin, a hormone that helps sugar get out of the bloodstream and into your body's cells. In people with prediabetes, the body's cells are resistant to insulin's action, so sugar remains high in the blood. To compensate, the pancreas produces more insulin, attempting to bring blood sugar down to a healthy level. Over time, this can lead to progressively higher blood sugar and insulin levels, until the condition eventually turns into type 2 diabetes. Many studies have shown a link between the frequent consumption of sugar or refined carbs and the risk of diabetes. What's more, replacing them with foods that have less of an effect on blood sugar may help reduce your risk (2, 3, 4, 5, 6). A detailed analysis of 37 studies found that people with the highest intakes of fast-digesting carb Continue reading >>
What Is The Best Way To Reverse Type 2 Diabetes?
Most people have arrived at the state of Type 2 Diabetes because of three factors: 1) Their pancreas has max’ed out on insulin production (usually after increasing insulin production >800%) and the beta cells are in a state of exhaustion, bordering on literal suicide. 2) The adipose tissue mass, especially in the abdomen has increased, developed insulin resistance and is now chronically inflamed by a deficiency of Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) and similar cytokines. 3) Deconditioned muscles no longer properly process fats and sugars, are among the organs with insulin resistance. Note I did not say they have been overeating, because there is no reason to rehash the obvious and give an answer which is doesn’t add much to our understanding or historically useful action. How to best fix the system? Fix the largest (potential) metabolic organ in the body - skeletal muscle. Eating small meals is like attempting to tiptoe around the sleeping lion, a temporizing method at best. Bariatric surgery violates Loeb’s Law (Don’t let the surgeon get ahold of your patient ;-)) but seriously has a significant ten-year failure rate and low calorie diet alone contradicts a millennium of evolved metabolic, self-preservation mechanisms. There are three mutually prongs to the best strategy: Diet (Low carbohydrate, possibly with higher fat versus protein) Aerobic exercise Progressive weight training There is plenty of research supporting this including the ADA’s website. If you wish to see a video explaining the scientific basis, check out this YouTube video by yours truly: With Type 2 Diabetes, A Randomized Controlled Trial JAMA. 2010;304(20):2253-2262 Continue reading >>
Diabetes Care: 10 Ways To Avoid Diabetes Complications
Diabetes care is a lifelong responsibility. Consider 10 strategies to prevent diabetes complications. Diabetes is a serious disease. Following your diabetes treatment plan takes round-the-clock commitment. But your efforts are worthwhile. Careful diabetes care can reduce your risk of serious — even life-threatening — complications. Here are 10 ways to take an active role in diabetes care and enjoy a healthier future. 1. Make a commitment to managing your diabetes Members of your diabetes care team — doctor or primary care provider, diabetes nurse educator, and dietitian, for example — can help you learn the basics of diabetes care and offer support along the way. But it's up to you to manage your condition. Learn all you can about diabetes. Make healthy eating and physical activity part of your daily routine. Maintain a healthy weight. Monitor your blood sugar level, and follow your doctor's instructions for managing your blood sugar level. Ask your diabetes treatment team for help when you need it. 2. Don't smoke Smoking increases your risk of various diabetes complications, including: Reduced blood flow in the legs and feet, which can lead to infections, ulcers and possible removal of a body part by surgery (amputation) Heart disease Stroke Eye disease, which can lead to blindness Nerve damage Kidney disease Talk to your doctor about ways to help you stop smoking or using other types of tobacco. 3. Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control Like diabetes, high blood pressure can damage your blood vessels. High cholesterol is a concern, too, since the damage is often worse and more rapid when you have diabetes. When these conditions team up, they can lead to a heart attack, stroke or other life-threatening conditions. Eating a healthy, reduced-fat d Continue reading >>
Prevention Of Type 1 Diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune condition characterized by destruction of insulin-producing β cells within the pancreatic islets. It is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. Incidence levels are rising worldwide. The causes of disease are multifactorial with genetic and environmental factors playing a part. There is a long pre-clinical period before the onset of overt symptoms, which may be amenable to therapeutic intervention to prevent disease. Continue reading >>
5 Ways To Prevent Type 2 Diabetes
Source: Web exclusive: October 2009 Given the serious consequences emanating from insulin resistance and Type-2 diabetes, preventing this disease is certainly our best weapon in reducing the damage caused by a surplus of blood sugar. Luckily for us, the preventive potential is extraordinary: Adopting a healthy lifestyle can prevent up to 90 percent of Type-2 diabetes cases! To see how we can reduce the risk of diabetes, let us review some lifestyle factors. 1. Maintain a healthy body weight Given that excess weight and obesity are instrumental in the development of Type-2 diabetes, maintaining a normal body weight is an essential aspect of any preventive approach. The most spectacular illustration of how weight loss can influence the risk of diabetes is undoubtedly the effect of bariatric surgery (reducing stomach size) on morbidly obese people. Radically reducing the size of the stomach rapidly decreases obesity and almost completely eliminates Type-2 diabetes! However, it is neither necessary nor desirable to undergo this type of surgery to reap the benefits of weight loss: Losing just 5 kg, even over several years, can reduce the risk of diabetes by 50%! At a time when overweight has become the norm rather than the exception, Type-2 diabetes undoubtedly illustrates the dangers of excess weight and the need to be as slim as possible in order to prevent this disease. 2. Reduce intake of high-sugar foods You can also significantly reduce the risk of diabetes by paying particular attention to the amount and especially the type of carbohydrates: that is, the sugar in your diet. There are three main types of carbohydrates. ‘ The first is simple sugars ‘ like those in fruits, dairy products, maple syrup, or honey ‘ and sugars added to various products sold in grocery Continue reading >>
