Meal Replacements - Diabetes Self-Management

Call them what you will nutritional supplements, meal replacements, or shakes theyre everywhere. Magazines and television commercials tout their benefits. Sections of drugstores and grocery stores are dedicated to them. They sound promising and they come in tasty flavors. But do they deliver? Whats the best one? And, most importantly, are they something you should try?
The meal replacement (MRP) industry is big business. In the 1970s, nutrition in a can became widely used in hospitals and nursing homes to help nourish patients who could not eat or had difficulty eating solid food. Ensure was introduced by Ross Laboratories in 1973. In 1977, SlimFast was introduced to help with weight loss, sparking the use of meal replacements to address the obesity epidemic. And who can forget Oprah Winfrey, in 1988, pulling a wagon laden with fat across the stage to demonstrate her 67-pound weight loss on the Optifast plan? In the 1990s, Ensure and other drinks such as Sustacal, Boost, and Resource were marketed to healthy adults to supplement their nutrition. Since then, meal replacements have continued to corner the market, expanding to meet a variety of nutritional needs. Meal replacements are used for many reasons and take different forms, including shakes and bars. As a result, sales have exceeded $3 billion per year in the United States.
Meal replacements are beverages or foods that can be consumed in place of or as part of a meal. They provide a specific amount of calories, macronutrients (carbohydrate, protein, and fat) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals). Some meal r Continue reading

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BCG vaccine - can it reverse type 1 diabetes mellitus?

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease characterized by the destruction of pancreatic islet cells , which are critical to glucose metabolism by producing insulin,by autoreactive T cells. These lymphocytes mistakenly attack pancreatic islet cells as if they were a foreign body, like a viral or bacterial infection.
In addition, regulatory T-cells (which are often called Tregs) modulate the immune system and would generally reduce the effect of an autoimmune attack. Tregs act like brakes that normally prevent the mistaken attacks, like on the pancreatic islet cells, without affecting the whole immune system. A branch of diabetes research has suggested that Tregs could be the key to treating type 1 diabetes.
Once the pancreatic islet cells are damaged, they no longer produce hormones, especially insulin , that help regulate the levels of blood glucose. Without insulin, the blood glucose levels increase rapidly leading to long-term damage to eyesight, kidneys, limbs, heart and other organs. In fact, type 1 diabetes can be deadly if the uncontrolled blood sugar leads to a life-threatening condition called diabetic ketoacidosis . Without regular insulin injections, a patient has little chance of living beyond a short period of time, and even then it could be a horrifically painful demise.
It is not known what causes this autoimmune disease, although there is strong evidence that genetics is the most important factor. However, other things may be implicated, like vaccine-preventable diseases , which could be important co-factors in the development of the disease. Just to be Continue reading

Experimental Therapy May Slow Type 1 Diabetes

Experimental Therapy May Slow Type 1 Diabetes
By Bahar Gholipour, Contributing Writer |
It may be possible to slow the progression of type 1 diabetes , according to a new pilot study that used an experimental therapy that centers on the immune system.
In the new study, researchers in Sweden tested a new method to train the immune system to stop attacking the body's own insulin-producing cells, according to the findings published today (Feb. 15) in the New England Journal of Medicine. With only six participants, the study was small, but experts called these early results exciting.
In people with type I diabetes , the immune system mistakenly recognizes certain proteins in beta cells as foreign invaders and wages a war against them. Once the beta cells have been killed, the pancreas produces little or no insulin, the hormone that regulates how the body absorbs sugar from the blood to use for energy. As a result, patients need to follow lifelong treatments such as insulin injections to keep their blood sugar levels at normal ranges. [ 9 Healthy Habits You Can Do in 1 Minute (Or Less) ]
This destruction of beta cells doesn't happen overnight, however. Although the majority of them are gone by the time someone is diagnosed, some cells manage to dodge the attacks and continue to produce some insulin. That's why several research teams have been working on finding ways to rescue the remaining cells, or delay their destruction in people who have been recently diagnosed with the condition .
In the new study, the researchers injected a protein normally found on beta cells di Continue reading

Are Tomatoes Good For Diabetics? - Diabetes Self Caring

Can Diabetics Eat Tomatoes? Is It Good or Bad?
Can Diabetics Eat Tomatoes? Is It Good or Bad?
Diabetes management is undoubtedly a complicated matter and one of the best ways in which a diabetes patient can manage the condition is by following a particular meal plan. Diabetes patients have to be always aware of the food they eat and in this article, we shall analyze the relationship between tomatoes and diabetes. We shall also deep dive and try to find the answer to the question Can Diabetics Eat tomatoes? Is It Good or Bad? So, come and join us for this article as we explore the answers related to the relationship between diabetes and tomatoes.
To begin with, the following are some of the facts related to tomatoes:
The vegetable is a good source of various vitamins such as vitamin K, vitamin B1, B2, and B6, amongst others
Also, it is a rich source of various elements like iron, copper, manganese, and phosphorous
The proteins present in the fruit helps to build muscle health in the individuals
The presence of molybdenum ensures that the tomatoes are able to produce enzymes which are good for the individual health
The lycopene present in the vegetable is known to have several health benefits for the body
They are low in total carbohydrate content
A medium-sized tomato contains around 22 units of calories, just 5 grams of carbohydrates, and 1 gram of protein. It does not contain fat.
Advantages of Tomatoes for Diabetes Patients
Moving on, let us now see what are some of the most important benefits that including tomatoes in the regular diet of diabetes patients Continue reading

Truth About Diabetes Supplements: Fenugreek, Vitamin B12, Magnesium, and More | Everyday Health

If you're searching for diabetes supplements that will help lower your blood sugar, know their potential risks and benefits first.
If you or a loved one has diabetes, you may be wondering if taking supplements can help manage the disease. If you visit any online diabetes forums, youll see claims about this or that supplement and how they can help reverse or cure diabetes and 22 percent of people with diabetes use an herbal therapy, according to the National Health Interview Survey . But whats the real scoop about the benefits of certain supplements for people with diabetes, as well as which ones are dangerous or simply ineffective?
Any supplement can be dangerous if not taken correctly, says Sandra J. Arvalo, MPH, RDN, CDE, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) and for the American Association of Diabetes Educators, who is based in the Bronx, New York. Every person with diabetes should check with his or her doctor before starting any supplement. Let the doctor decide if what you're willing to take is safe for you.
Also ask your doctor about getting your blood levels of nutrients, to get a feel for which supplements may or may not be right for you. This is the key to truly personalizing and optimizing health, because it allows for a better understanding of which supplements might be most helpful, and at what doses, says Robin Foroutan, RDN , an integrative dietitianand a spokesperson for the AND, who is based in NewYork City.
Choosing a Safe Supplement to Keep Diabetes in Control
Before you start shopping for supplements, know that in its 20 Continue reading