Tips For Managing Congestive Heart Failure

Tips for Managing Congestive Heart Failure

Tips for Managing Congestive Heart Failure
Congestive heart failure, or CHF, is a condition in which the heart is unable to pump enough blood to meet the bodys needs. Sometimes called just heart failure, the term is a little misleading. Heart failure doesnt mean that the heart has failed or that it no longer works; rather, it means that the heart is struggling to pump enough blood throughout the body.
There are many causes of CHF, and these include:
Cardiomyopathy, or weakened heart muscle
Toxic amounts of certain drugs, such as alcohol and cocaine
High blood lipids (cholesterol and triglycerides)
While maybe not a direct cause, certain lifestyle factors can contribute to or worsen CHF, such as being overweight or obese, smoking, drinking excessive amounts of alcohol, a high sodium intake, and lack of physical activity.
You may be surprised to learn that having diabetes puts you at risk for CHF. Heart failure is one of the most common complications of diabetes, and while many factors play a role, the two main culprits are hyperglycemia (high blood sugars) and insulin resistance (strongly linked with Type 2 diabetes ). Data from the well-known Framingham Heart Study showed that the frequency of heart failure is twice as high in men with diabetes and five times as high in women with diabetes compared to a control population.
How do you know if you have CHF? Symptoms that may indicate congestive heart failure are:
Swelling in your ankles, feet, or legs (called edema)
Sudden weight gain (due to fluid retention)
Of course, these symptoms can be due to other med Continue reading

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Diet study: American Diabetes Association vs. Low Carb Ketogenic

A randomized pilot trial of a moderate carbohydrate diet compared to a very low carbohydrate diet in overweight or obese individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus or prediabetes (Saslow et al., 2014)
Disclaimer: this study was not ground-breaking; it was confirmation of a phenomenon that is starting to become well-known, and soon to be the status quo. That is, advising an obese diabetic patient to reduce their carb intake consistently produces better results than advising them to follow a low fat, calorie restricted diet.
: 45-50% carbs; 45 grams per meal + three 15 gram snacks = 165 grams per day; low fat, calorie restricted (500 Calorie deficit). Otherwise known as a low fat diet (LFD).
In their words: Active Comparator: American Diabetes Association Diet. Participants in the American Diabetes Association (ADA) diet group will receive standard ADA advice. The diet includes high-fiber foods (such as vegetables, fruits, whole grains, and legumes), low-fat dairy products, fresh fish, and foods low in saturated fat.
: Ketogenic; <50 grams of carb per day, no calorie restriction, just a goal of blood ketones 0.5 3 mM.
In their words: Experimental: Low Carbohydrate Diet. Participants will be instructed to follow a low carbohydrate diet: carbohydrate intake 10-50 grams a day not including fiber. Foods permitted include: meats, poultry, fish, eggs, cheese, cream, some nuts and seeds, green leafy vegetables, and most other non-starchy vegetables. Because most individuals self-limit caloric intake, no calorie restriction will be recommended.
Both groups were advised to mai Continue reading

5 Ultimate Exercises for Diabetes to maintain good health

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While diet plays a key role here, exercises for Diabetes are also quite important.
A sedentary lifestyle brings a lot of health concerns, out of which obesity or weight is the prime one. And this eventually is also a great contributor to developing Type 2 Diabetes.
The Yoga is one of the simplest forms of exercise for diabetes that you can do right at your home. these yoga asanas bring abdominal contractions and relaxations that stimulates the pancreas.
A yoga asanas also improve blood flow in the pancreas that eventually improve the pancreass ability to produce insulin.Also, yoga helps in Type 2 Diabetes as follows:
a) It reduces blood sugar levels in patients with Type 2 Diabetes. [ 2 ]
b) Works on hormones and is shown to be effective in suppressing cortisol, the stress hormone. Stress decreases insulin activity and can cause hyperglycemia, which is an excess of glucose in blood that leads to Type 2 Diabetes. [ 3 ]
c) brings relaxation of muscles and improved blood supply. This makes glucose readily taken up by the muscles leading to less glucose in the blood.
d) if followed properly, brings weight loss, which is a major contributor in causing Type 2 Diabetes.
Common Yoga Asanas that are prescribed for Diabetes are
Vitamin B12: A Key Player In Keeping The Body Healthy
Moreover, walking fast can raise heart rates which help the body to use insulin b Continue reading

Cellnovo Mobile Insulin Pump Launches In Australia!

Cellnovo Mobile Insulin Pump Launches In Australia!
The Cellnovo Mobile Insulin Pump officially launched in Australia last week at the ADS-ADEA conference ( ADS-ADEA disclosures are at the bottom of this post ). The pump is being distributed by Medical Specialties Australia, and subsidised consumables will be available through the NDSS from October 1. MSAs Diabetes Division Manager, Aaron Cook, was kind enough to come and meet with myself and a few other consumers last week outside of the trade hall to give us the scoop.
The Cellnovo system consists of a small insulin pump that sits on the skin via a Velcro patch, in close proximity to the infusion set. Tubing is virtually non-existent. The pump is rechargeable, rather than battery operated, with each charge typically lasting 3-5 days. There is a second identical pump included in the box, so that the user can charge one up while using the other.
If you know me in person, youll know that Ive dreamt of a touch screen insulin pump that I could control from my Smartphone (yes, Im well aware of Looping and We Are Not Waiting). Frankly, the interface on my Animas Vibe looks like something out of the 1990s.
So for me, the real selling point of the Cellnovo system is the touch screen mobile handset that connects to the pump via Bluetooth. The screen is bright and colourful. There are menus for insulin delivery settings, bolus calculations, activity tracking and food databases. The handset also has a built in blood glucose meter, which uses Accu Chek Performa strips.
Aaron was telling us something about wax and pistons inside Continue reading

Diabetes and Heart Disease

People who have diabetes are more likely to get heart disease. When you have diabetes, yourblood sugar level is often much higher than it should be. Too much sugar in the blood can cause damage to many parts of the body, including blood vessels. Some lifestyle habits may also raise the risk of heart disease.
There are many things you can do to be proactive about your health. Taking care of yourself is especially important when you have diabetes. Some of the things you would do to control diabetes will also lower your risk for heart disease.
1. Keep your blood sugar level under control.
Controlling your blood sugar level will lower your risk of heart disease. Many people who have diabetes check their blood sugar level every day. This confirms that their medicines and/orinsulin,diet, and exercise are working to keep their blood sugar in a normal range.
Diabetes, being overweight, and heart disease often go together. Losing weight helps a lot of health problems. For example, if you have been told that yourblood pressureis too high, losing weight can bring it down. If your blood sugar level has been hard to control, losing weight can help.
Weight loss is important if you have a lot of extra weight around your waist and abdominal area. People who tend to carry extra weight around their waist are more at risk for heart disease than people who have extra weight in the hips or thighs.
You dont have to lose a huge amount of weight to lower your risk for heart disease. Losing even 10 pounds can help.
Cholesterol is a waxy substance your body uses to protect nerves, make cell Continue reading