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11-15-06 |
Living Life as a Diabetic Newsletter |
Issue# 12
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Kimberly Advent
Editor
Ashley's Diabetes
Information Center
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Welcome to our Twelfth Newsletter.
Thank you for your patience & support during this tough time for our family. As most of you know we have been dealing with cancer since the beginning of the year. My husband Jess is in remission & is recovering from cancer treatment. It is a long slow process. Too long & slow for him. His health is improving all the time but, it will be some time before he is able to go back to work. This has effected how often I am getting my newsletters out to you & I am sorry you have had to wait. My priorities have changed a bit. I hope to be back on track in the spring. Thank you again for your patience.
We do want to wish you all a very Happy & Healthy Holiday Season.
Big hugs
Kimberly
I am looking for guest writers. If you are interested in writing a guest column for this Newsletter please contact Kimberly. Let me know what you would like to write about it. Columns must be about 600 words & related to Diabetes. I reserve the right to refuse any article if I don't think it is relevent to the Newsletter.
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"Living your life as a Diabetic NEWSLETTER". You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to it or
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- Feature
Article - Herbs that help Diabetes by Kimberly Advent
- A word from our Sponsor
- Flu Shots: Can you get the Flu from them by Kimberly Advent
- Product Review: OneTouch® UltraMini™ Blood Glucose Meter!
- News on Stem Cell Research
- Sugar Free Recipes
- Kid's Corner
- Upcoming Events
- Subscribe/Unsubscribe
information
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| FEATURE ARTICLE, Herbs that help Diabetes by Kimberly Advent |
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I get a lot of emails asking about herbs or vitamins that can help diabetes. So I decided to do a little research into it. I found that there are actually some herbs that are said to help control blood sugar. To know how they help let me tell you a little bit about how your body works with diabetes.
As you probably know type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes. With type 2 diabetes the body either does not produce enough insulin or the cells do not respond correctly (they are insulin resistant). Many type 2 diabetics start off by taking oral medication because their pancreas is still making insulin but, as time goes by the pancreas wears down. Then most type 2's will have to take insulin injections.
There are several herbs that will help work with the drugs prescribed by your doctor. One is Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum). This herb has been shown to lower blood sugar levels by decreasing insulin resistance. It also lowers total cholesterol and LDL's (bad cholesterol). Studies recommend using 25g a day of powdered herb in a capsule.
Another herb is Bitter Melon (Momordica Charantia) increases insulin secretion. It also lowers total cholesterol and triglyceride levels. It is a tropical fruit & can be taken as a capsule or pill. Take 200mg twice a day.
Then there is Gymnema sylvestre. A vine native to Southeast Asia. It decreases insulin resistance by helping insulin bind to cells more effectively. You can get this herb in pill form. Take 250mg twice a day.
As you know high blood sugar levels over a period of time can cause long-term complications. Complications like blindness, poor circulation and kidney failure by damaging small blood vessels. Bilberry (Vaccinium myrtillus) is rich in proanthocyanidins that help maintain healthy blood vessels. Which is beneficial to the eyes. This herb comes in capsule (80mg, twice a day) or as a tea. Infuse 2 Tablespoons of dried berries in 12 oz of hot water for 10 minutes.
I'm sure many of you are sick of all the artificial sweeteners. Well here is one that has also been shown to lower blood sugar. Stevia (Stevia rebaudiana) is a sweet tasting herb that will not raise your blood sugar. It has no calories & you can bake with it. You can buy this herb in grocery stores in powder or liquid form. I have tasted it myself & it is very sweet.
While taking any of these herbs you should talk to your doctor about them first. Also if you find that your blood sugar is going low repeatedly that you may need to have your doctor reduce the amount of medication you are taking.
If you have some great tips to help others reach their healthier living goals please send them to me at kimberlydadvent@aol.com and I will share them here.
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| Flu Shots: Can you get the Flu from them by Kimberly Advent
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Flu Shots: Can you get the Flu from them by Kimberly Advent
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It is that time of the year when you "should" be getting your flu shot. I can't tell you how many times I hear people say, "I'm not getting a flu shot. It will make me sick." They are convinced that they will be injected with an active virus. Let me explain a little bit to you what a flu shot actually is.
The "inactive" influenza vacine is a mixture of three different strains of killed influenza virus'. The strains are usually the most popular strains that are circulating that year. The vaccine is injected into a muscle, usually the upper arm. Then the body will develop antibodies to fight off similar strains of influenza virus'. It usually takes about 2 weeks to become effective.
A flu shot is usually recommended for children & high risk adults. It is also a good idea for caregivers to children or high risk adults to have one. I got mine this year. I am a healthy adult but, I have a diabetic child & my husband is recovering from cancer treatment. I don't want to become infected & then put them at risk. Especially since I deal with the public in my job.
You probably are wondering how effective the flu shot is. How well the flu shot works to prevent influenza in part depends on how close the viruses in the vaccine match the flu viruses circulating in the population. A person's age and the ability to develop sufficient antibodies also influence the effectiveness of the vaccine.
When the vaccine contains viruses similar to those circulating in the population, it is effective in preventing the flu in approximately 70% to 90% of adults younger than 65. Protection is less in people age 65 and older. However, the vaccine is still important for preventing severe illness, complications and death from the flu virus. For example, among adults age 65 and older who live in long-term care facilities, the flu vaccine is about 30% to 40% effective in preventing influenza, but about 50% to 60% effective in preventing hospitalization or pneumonia and 80% effective in preventing death from complications.
The inactivated flu vaccine's effectiveness for preventing the flu in children varies widely. One study of children between 1 and 15 years of age showed the inactivated flu vaccine to be 77% to 79% effective in preventing the flu. Another study found that the vaccine was effective in preventing the flu in 56% of children between ages 3 to 9. These rates may be lower in children with certain health conditions, such as asthma. However, as in older adults and people with health problems, the vaccine is important in protecting children from complications of the flu. If symptoms of influenza develop despite getting immunized, they usually are milder.
Side effects from a flu shot are extremely rare but are usually a soreness in the arm where the injection was given. Because the inactivated flu vaccine contains killed viruses, it cannot cause influenza. Sometimes a slight fever, muscle aches or pains, and a general feeling of illness develop within about 6 to 12 hours after receiving the immunization and last about 1 or 2 days. These side effects most often occur in young children who have had little to no prior exposure to the flu or the vaccine and have not yet developed antibodies. The side effects are also more likely to occur in people with immune system disorders.
People with a severe allergy to eggs or any other component of the vaccine should not receive the vaccine without first talking with a health professional. People who are able to eat eggs can safely receive the vaccine.
So getting a flu shot is a personal decision. It should be an educated decision. Don't go by what Joe Blow on the corner told you. Do some research & talk with your doctor. You have to decide what is best for You & Your loved ones. The Flu is a serious health concern that can cause death & at the least a couple of week of miserable sickness. It could also use up most of your sick days.
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| Product Review:
OneTouch® UltraMini™ Blood Glucose Meter! |
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Product Review
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OneTouch® UltraMini™ Blood Glucose Meter!
No bells, no whistles, no complicated screens—just the number you want from our smallest meter.
- FAST: Accurate Results in just 5 seconds.
- EASY TO USE: A large, easy-to-read screen and simple 3-step testing.
- SMALL: Just the right size to fit in your pocket or purse
Plus, the OneTouch UltraMini Meter comes with a new, small OneTouch® Lancing Device!
Included with your meter: Free Diabetes Education
The OneTouch UltraMini Meter comes complete with a unique educational Simple Start™ Diabetes+Food booklet that can help you manage your diabetes around meals. The booklet offers:
Your OneTouch UltraMini System Kit includes:
- OneTouch® UltraMini® Blood Glucose Meter
(batteries included)
- OneTouch® Lancing Device
- OneTouch® Ultra® Control Solution
- 10 OneTouch® UltraSoft® Lancets
- OneTouch® AST™ Clear Cap for testing on forearm* or palm
- Mini Carrying Case
- Logbook
- Owner's Booklet
- Quick Reference Guide
- Quick Start Guide
- Simple Start Education Booklet
Check it out on Lifescan.com
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First Lady Laura Bush said today that actor Michael J. Fox is out of line for using his disease to press the stem-cell issue in the highly contested mid-term elections, and wondered whether he has Communist sympathies, in an interview today on CNN. “I know a lot of people, a lot of young people in this country, respect Mr. Fox as an entertainer, but I wonder if they remember him from the program where he played Alex P. Keaton, where he was a true communist in that nice household with that family,” she said. She was describing the 1970s television series, “Family Ties,” that starred Mr. Fox as a rebellious teen, though the series in fact depicted a conservative-leaning son in a household more sympathetic towards liberal views. “And playing a part on a television program might influence one to take on those views in real life, and I would not be surprised at all if Mr. Fox were to take on the views of this Keaton young man, and I think that is what we are seeing here in his working against Republican candidates in this election.” Mr. Fox has held that his views are not confined to a particular party but rather the agenda of advancing support for stem-cell research, and that his character on the show was not a communist sympathizer in any way.
Fox later complained to reporters that his views were misrepresented by Tony Snow when the White House Press Secretary disparagingly referred to him as “Mr. Michael J. ‘I hope the terrorists win-I hate the Republicans’ Fox,” and said Mr. Snow and anyone else should not refer to him in that way.
Stem Cell updates come from The Stem Cell Information Newsletter run by Steve Meyer.
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Pumpkin Cheesecake
1 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs
3 packets Equal® sweetener
5 Tablespoons margarine, melted
2 packages (8 ounces each) fat-free cream cheese, softened
1 package (8 ounces each) reduced-free cream cheese, softened
1 can canned pumpkin
2 eggs
2 egg whites
24 packets Equal® sweetener
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
Mix graham cracker and gingersnap crumbs, 3 packets Equal®, and melted margarine in bottom of 8 or 9-inch
springform pan; reserve 2 tablespoons crumb mixture. Pat remaining mixture evenly on bottom and 1/2 inch up
side of pan. Bake in preheated 350 degree F oven until crust is lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Cool on wire rack.
Reduce oven temperature to 300 degrees F.
Beat cream cheese until smooth in mixing bowl; beat in pumpkin, eggs, and egg whites. Mix in 24 packets Equal®, cornstarch and spices. Pour mixture into crust in pan. Wrap bottom of springform pan with aluminum foil and place
in roasting pan on middle oven rack; add 1-inch of hot water to pan. Bake in preheated 300 degree F oven just until
set in center, 45 to 50 minutes.
Remove cheesecake from roasting pan; sprinkle with reserved crumbs and return to oven. Turn oven off and let
cheesecake cool with door ajar for 3 hours. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. Remove side of springform pan before serving.
Makes 16 servings
Serving size: 1 slice
Yield: 16
Exchanges: 1 milk, 1/2 starch, 2 fat
Nutrition: 168 Calories, 8g Protein, 16g Carbohydrate, 8g Fat
Recipe brought to you by E-Cookbooks library
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The Holiday's are almost here. Time to get ready by knowing what you are putting in your mouth. Go to my Nutrition Page to find out carb counts for your favorite foods. If you click on the diet area it will list nutritional information on most food groups. If you plan to eat out click on the Restraunts Nutrional Info to find information on most of your favorite restaurants. You will also find an area that has some great recipes complete with nutritional information. We can all have a Wonderful & Healthy Holiday Season if we are counting our Carbs!!!
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