Ha! My Whopper is a Clone!

OK, get used to it. The FDA has just approved cloned animal food produce as fit for consumption. You might soon be eating the same steak over again.

Although the European Food Safety Authority has not quite caught on to the the idea of cloned beef, milk, chicken, and pork as yet it won't be long before the rest of the world starts eating Moo "dolly", Oink "dolly", and cluck "dolly". In fact, they might just make it "exotic" by jacking up the price on cloned animal products.

Australia is also waiting to see how this new addition to the human diet will go down, it seems. They are waiting for opinions from their own experts. Meanwhile, in America, Dr Stephen Sundlof, of the FDA is saying, "We conclude that meat and milk from cattle, swine, and goat clones are as safe as food we eat every day."

The thing is, they have used those same words to describe all the drugs that have later proven to be "poison" - like Vioxx.

The decision seems to say to consumers, 'Never mind that cloned animals tend to have shorter life expectancy, the juicy steak will get to your plate before the cloned cattle has time to die naturally, anyway.' In fact, this decision may just pave the way for faster production. Why not? Just select the gene that has the greatest response to growth hormones. They might soon be growing drumsticks as fast as they can cook them!

But I can't get used to the idea that **IF** I bought a "whopper" from that "king" of fast food place today...

...and if I really liked it, then it's easy to get it's clone tomorrow. Then I'd say to my neighbor, "Ha! Just look at my burger. I ate the exact (same) thing yesterday!"

Protein intake - osteoporosis

Most Americans consume much more than the recommended daily allowance of protein of 50 - 60 grams per day. In fact, the restaurants and food supply centers "compete" to make sure we exceed our needed amount of every food nutrient.

No wonder, the description - which I found surprising - a nation that is "over-fed but malnourished." How can this be?

Well, the extra protein, along with the phosphorus, caffeine, and lack of physical exercise are common factors that are being blamed for the prevalence of osteoporosis among Westerners. Maybe, our bones just don't know of the extra supply of calcium supplements we are dosing on.

So, we should just walk more, eat less, get adequate rest and keep osteoporosis at bay.

• Take the stairs, go for a stroll after lunch
• Eat more complex carbohydrates
• drink more water - avoid the Coke and caffeinated drinks that leach Calcium from your bones
• adopt an anti-diabetes type diet - it will help you take care of high cholesterol, high blood pressure and other situations all at the same time

Remember, good health doesn't come by chance, it's our daily choice.

What is a healthy diabetes diet and is this the same for everyone?

The phrase "healthy diabetes diet" gets thrown around a lot. I hear medical professionals and others using this term as if you can just go pick it up in a store. Really, a healthy diet is a healthy diet, AND should be "healthy" for everyone.

From this perspective, then, there is no such thing as a diabetes diet. Whether I am a diabetic or not, if my diet does not contain normal and adequate amounts of all the essential nutrients for normal life it should be called "malnutrition".

As a type 2 diabetic who wants to lead a normal and very active life, I cannot be distracted by low carb preparations that will force me into a low energy state. No, I want lots of carbs BUT complex, high fiber carbohydrates that don't cause a blood sugar spike.

These complex carbohydrates are not usually what you find in fast food restaurants - the best diabetes diet (for me) is what is prepared at home. Still, it is amazing to see how packed the fast food places and restaurants are nowadays; especially on the weekends.

My experience tells me there are at least two ways to control your diabetes:

• pills and insulin - and if you have to use these as recommended by your doctor, that is not a problem, but DON'T accept it as the "state of the rest of your ever waning life". You can change that.
• the anti-diabetes diet and lifestyle approach - in conjunction with your doctor's recommended treatment, learn what a healthy diabetes diet should mean. Your diet should be "anti-diabetes" not "anti-diabetic" - which most popular diets are, since they don't remedy the diabetic syndrome.

The anti-diabetes diet (the healthy diabetes diet) and lifestyle is your best bet to help prevent and reverse the metabolic syndrome; which includes type 2 diabetes.

Beware These Diabetes Tips - Diabetes Nutritional Supplements

Every piece of the puzzle is important in order to solve it. Two major diabetes nutritional supplements are the last piece of my "bounce-back" puzzle.

Normal I would not distinguish these from my regular diet, but since the health improvement that I have experienced is also shared by so many users of the Tongan Seaweed extract and the miracle of the forest tea I have to mention these.

I've used these food supplements and have benefited significantly. Although I don't need Milagro de la Selva anymore, I have to note that this liquid nutritional supplement or tea made the first big dent in my glucose level. After 10 days I noticed I was not getting the high readings I was getting before. (It could have been less, but I was taken by surprise and only realized what was happening on the 10th day after taking it.)

But the real magic is still working...
I've listened to hundreds of people tout the praises of the fucoidan-rich Limu juice. I'm a "rebel" of some sort and a loner to some extent. I never follow the crowd. But when my coworker lost her seasonal allergies "just-like-that" I had to pay attention.

I have been using Original Limu for over two years, and while I know my exercise program, my rest, and my eating habits are major factors why I don't need diabetes medication anymore, this diabetes nutritional supplement is still a regular and vital part of my diet because of

• the wide range of benefits,
• the over 700 independent scientific studies confirming the health benefits of its main ingredient (fucoidan), and most of all,
• the testimonies of thousands of people who have literally "gotten their lives back" from common illnesses like allergies, type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, on down to cancer.
  

I'm totally convinced that this Fucoidan-rich seaweed supplement is a healthy habit breakthrough that will make you lose your medication. My doctor is sorry, she's happy for my recovery. I hope your's won't mind.

Beware These Diabetes Tips - Sleep and Glucose Metabolism

And now, my friend, go and take your rest. Sleep. I mean, sleep early - wake early. This is one of the important things I learned since developing type 2 diabetes - it matters

• when you sleep
• how long you sleep, and even
• where you sleep

And all these facets of our sleep affect our ability to metabolize glucose - which is the type of impairment diabetes is, anyway.

There are several studies on sleep and diabetes that really my attention and helped me change my sleep pattern. Some of these findings are quite recent but it is a long-known fact sleep deprivation affects glucose metabolism and can lead to type 2 diabetes.

1. "Role of sleep duration and quality in the risk and severity of type 2 diabetes mellitus," published by the Archives of Internal Medicine, and
   
2. In Biological Research For Nursing, an article published in 2008 echoes the same warning: sleep affects diabetes and diabetes affects sleep.

This sounds like a double-edged sword. You have it either way. That's why your decision to handle type 2 diabetes needs to be an aggressive decision. Don't just settle for pills that simply mask the symptoms. Aim to lose your medication all together.

How sleep works
Our bodies rebuild tissues better at nights - it seems. Our bodies know the difference between night and day, and our metabolism depends on this circadian pattern to function properly. (Read about circadian rhythm in this WiKi article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circadian_rhythm)

Researchers say that an hour of sleep before midnight may be twice as beneficial as an hour of sleep after midnight. Instead of challenging their findings, I thought it was reasonable so I did (and have been doing) that, i.e going to bed early - like by 10PM. It works for me.

"But I can't sleep that early!"
That may be so for other people, but I'll make myself do anything in order to NOT have diabetes or other lifestyle-related health problems. After nearly decades of going to bed long after midnight, it was difficult, but I've gotten used to it. Glad I broke the habit.

If you want to lose your diabetes medication and be symptom-free (like me), then seriously consider practicing these simple habits: have the best diet there is, start moving, and go to bed early! Look out for my other tips.

Beware These Diabetes Tips - Exercise

This is the second of four diabetes tips that I'm sharing with you. Again, you're warned that you could lose your medication if you follow my suggestion...

Which, of course, is not a bad thing - unless you love to support the marvelous scientific "inventions" of the pharmaceutical industry. So along with the right diet, you need to exercise.

What!? You mean..?

• Everyone can do some form of exercise - even if you are extremely physically challenged.



• Physical exercise makes your muscles more efficient at using all the extra glucose that is cause for concern. More efficient muscles mean greater glucose metabolism.
• As a type 2 diabetic, most likely your body still makes some insulin. Exercise causes those insulin receptor sites to start working again. See my article on the "cause of diabetes" to see more about insulin receptor action.
• You do not need to run! In fact, if you are overweight and you begin your exercise program by running you may damage the cartilage in your knees. Take it easy. Walk. I started walking everyday for one hour - in the mornings! I did this for about four months then the Winter forced me indoors. But I didn't stop.
• I exercised indoors - without weights. I have a treadmill that I use sometimes, but I just work the muscles. Even while sitting I do arm twirls and work my shoulder muscles. You'd be amazed at how effective the combination of diet, exercise, and these other habits could be for you over the next few months.
  

Some time ago, I used to think that once the doctor said, "you're diabetic" that was it. Oh no. I started walking. Today, if I were to go to a another doctor, he or she would not know (from any tests) that I am a diabetic if I don't say it.

Besides walking...
What else can you do as physical exercise? I've learned to do aerobics while sitting in a chair - useful if you are not mobile. It's great, and I can "work up a sweat" without leaving my chair!

Upper-body exercises - shoulder muscles, the muscles in your back, arm muscles, and abdominals. There are a lot of "lazy" muscles in the upper body that you can target and train them to start burning glucose again.

Make the physical change this year - start moving, even without leaving your seat! It works. Remember, the key is determination. You know it's possible, that's great...

...but the determination comes from within you. Do you want to lose your medication?

Beware These Diabetes Tips - Food and Diet

Just a few years ago I had a hard time just watching my friends and family eat all they wanted while I counted carbs. For this New Year 2008, I have a different "misfortune", and it's all in the numbers!

1. I lost my diabetes medication; I mean, I'm on ZERO, nothing.
2. My A1c is below 6
3. My total cholesterol is 147, and
4. I love what I see on the bathroom scale - whether or not I stand on it! Nice and low. Just right.
   

Maybe you or someone you know want to be a "big loser" like me for this year. Well, this is the right time to start. And guess what...

You don't need to call it a "New Year's Resolution" - away with that. Just say it's your determination. That's it! Your first diabetes tip for 2008. Determine.

Then here's how you use that determination.

Shape up your diet. Don't take on those expensive "regimens" that you can't maintain for the rest of your life. Make a reasonable change that you can maintain permanently... check out the anti-diabetes diet concept.

Yes, the right diabetes diet can make you lose your medication. I lost mine, and my doctor is still surprised at my lab results too. It is a great feeling when I see the words, "excellent profile" on my medical test report.

With the right diet and lifestyle habits, most type 2 diabetics can soon begin to "eat like a king" again! If you don't mind losing your medication, this is one good thing to aim for this New Year!