Diabetes Symptom

Australians are often divided into the haves, and the have-nots.

But they’re not always talking about money.

These days, it’s often the haves (too much body fat), versus the
have-nots (not overweight).

We can’t seem to make up our minds whether to eat at McDonald’s,
KFC, Pizza Hut, Krispy Kreme, Starbucks, and All-You-Can-Eat
fast food restaurants, or whether to grab a protein snack, a
freshly-squeezed fruit juice with wheatgrass and go straight to
the gym.

Women’s Magazines have the same problem. A sample magazine from
this month featured diet and exercise routines from three TV
personalities and movie stars. Yet the back section of the
magazine featured recipes such as luscious mocha fudge cake.

The incidence of obesity in Australia rose dramatically in the
90s – 80% for women. And over 20% of children and adolescents
are overweight or obese. Our eating habits are often unbalanced.

Yet a trip to the local beach shows a large number of
exceedingly fit bodies, often accompanied by personal trainers.
Perhaps the rebellion has begun.

Australian authors are now responsible for several
internationally-known health and fitness books, such as the
Sandra Cabot’s Liver Cleansing Diet, the CSIRO WellBeing Diet,
and Jennie Brand-Miller’s New Glucose Revolution.

So let’s assume you’ve decided to improve your health and
fitness, upped your intake of raw fruit and vegies (for Liver
Cleansing), are monitoring your intake of white breads and
potatoes (for Glucose Revolution), and planning a BBQ based
around lean meat for dinner tonight (CSIRO diet).

A November 2005 announcement from Jennie Brand-Miller is good
news for the traditional Ocker image of throwing a shrimp on the
barbie, while drinking a cold beer.

Apparently moderate alcohol intake has been related to a reduced
risk of type 2 diabetes and coronary heart disease. The new
study looked at the impact of beer, white wine and gin on a
carbohydrate-based meal. The result was that the alcoholic
drinks, in particular the white wine, helped to lower the
glucose and insulin response after the meal.

So if someone criticises you for that pre-dinner drink this
summer, just say that you’re making an effort to avoid diabetes.
They may just buy you another drink for being so thoughtful.

Cheers.

About the author:
http://www.womens-health-and-fitness.com provides health,
nutrition, fitness and beauty tips for women.

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In 1993, the Harvard Medical School released the results of
research that studied the diets of those countries bordering on
the Mediterranean. Their findings suggested that fat and
carbohydrates were NOT the main culprit in obesity and heart
disease, but rather that the RIGHT fats and carbohydrates should
be the base for a healthy diet. The study pointed to low rates
of obesity, diabetes and heart disease throughout the region as
proof of their contention. Exactly what is the Mediterranean
diet and can it help you lose weight? There actually is no
‘Mediterranean’ diet – it’s a compilation of the way that people
in the countries surrounding the Mediterranean Sea eat. Despite
the differences in actual specifics, all of those studied based
their diets on the same proportions of food groups and calories,
and all included olive oil as their main source of fat. In fact,
their diets contained far more than the recommendations made by
the USDA – 40% rather than the 30% recommended for most healthy
Americans. Still, the evidence was irrefutable. Therefore, it
must have been the KIND of carbohydrates and fats that make the
difference. The Mediterranean diet consists of the following
guidelines: 60% Of Total Carbohydrates From Grains, Fruits And
Vegetables

Those include whole rice, fresh vegetables and fruits, whole
grain breads and cereals, polenta, pasta (made with whole grain,
not refined white flour) Sparing Use of Red Meat, Fish And
Poultry

The typical adult Mediterranean consumes about 15 ounces of red
meat and poultry per week. Another 5-15 ounces of fish per week
account for the bulk of their meat protein intake. Compare that
to the typical American diet which might include a 1 pound steak
for dinner one night, a 1/2 pound chicken breast the next, and
on and on. Olive Oil

Olive oil is not a miracle oil. It is, however, mono-unsaturated
- a good fat. Mono-unsaturated fats help lower cholesterol
rather than raising it, and are healthy ways to add fats to your
diet (and yes, even though we think of fat as a dirty word, your
body does need some, or it can’t use many of the vitamins you
feed it!) The other important component of the Mediterranean
lifestyle was activity. The typical Mediterranean day includes
walking rather than driving, physical activity in the fields or
the home and recreation. Physical activity is vital in helping
the body to lose weight, and to maintain your new weight once
you reach it. The secret to losing weight with the Mediterranean
diet is to base your meals on healthy carbohydrates – leafy
green vegetables, brightly colored vegetables, whole grains and
meals. Use meat sparingly – no more than 3-6 ounces per day.
Derive dietary fat from vegetable sources – or from fish oil.
Exercise regularly to rev up your metabolism. The Mediterranean
diet isn’t a weight loss regimen. It’s a new way of eating that
will help you reach your goal weight and stay there when you get
there.

About the author:
Kirsten Hawkins is a nutrition and health expert from Nashville,
TN. Visit http://www.popular-diets.com/ for more great
nutrition, well-being, and vitamin tips as well as reviews and
comments on popular diets.

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The Zone Diet is one of the five most discussed diets currently
being endorsed. Developed by Barry Sears, a former researcher at
MIT, it is based on maintaining insulin levels by striking a
balance between carbohydrates and proteins at each meal. Sears
suggests that the major cause of obesity is an imbalance of
insulin in the body. He maintains that the diet currently
recommended by most medical institutions is high in
carbohydrates and low in fats – a combination which he contends
contributes to the production of too much insulin, and results
in obesity. The Zone Diet is based on the concept of achieving a
physiological state in which insulin and eicosanoids, two
hormones, are maintained in zones that are carefully balanced.
By controlling the balance of insulin and eicosanoids, you
increase the loss of fat, and decrease the likelihood of heart
disease and diabetes, decrease inflammation and increase blood
flow, and increase your physical and mental stamina. The Zone
Diet The diet program of The Zone is designed to balance your
intake of protein and carbohydrate at 1 part protein to 4 parts
carbohydrate. It advises a moderate intake of carbohydrates,
proteins and fat in order to control insulin. It prescribes a
maximum amount of low-fat protein at one meal at 3-4 ounces,
which is nearly exactly the recommendation of the USDA and the
FDA. The majority of carbohydrates on the Zone diet come from
vegetables and fruits, with limited amounts of bread, rice,
potatoes and grains. Most fat intake should be from
monounsaturated fats like olive oil, safflower oil and other
‘heart healthy’ oils. While this sounds a good deal like the
Atkins diet (restricting carbohydrates), the differences are
very clear. Atkins recommends a diet high in protein without
regard to fat, with the intent of provoking ketosis, a
potentially unhealthy condition. High carbohydrate diets
recommend increasing carbohydrate levels and inducing the
production of insulin which, maintains Sears, increases weight
gain. Instead, the Zone Diet recommends achieving an optimal
balance of nutrients with moderate amounts of proteins,
carbohydrates and fat all playing a part. The other component of
the Zone diet worthy of note is the supplementation of diet with
fish oil. Fish oil, particularly pharmaceutical grade fish oil,
provides omega 3 fatty acids which are an important component in
healthy cells. Study after study in the past five years has
confirmed the importance of fish and omega 3 fatty acids in the
diet. A sample meal on The Zone’s eating plan might include:

1 3 oz portion of broiled salmon Spinach salad with apples and
walnuts dressed with walnut oil and lemon juice 1/2 cup of brown
rice 1 glass fruit or vegetable juice The eating plan
recommended by The Zone diet combines small portions of low fat
proteins, fats and fiber-rich vegetables and fruits. It also
suggests eating some protein with each meal or snack, and at
least 3 meals and 2 snacks daily. Who should use the Zone Diet?

As always, if you’re under the care of a physician for any
chronic medical condition, you should consult them before
embarking on any diet plan that substantially changes your
eating habits. There are significant differences between the
Zone Diet and that recommended for diabetics and heart patients,
for instance. Overall, the recommended portions of foods and the
balance between them is consistent with a healthy diet, and is
maintainable for a lifetime.

About the author:
Kirsten Hawkins is a nutrition and health expert from Nashville,
TN. Visit http://www.popular-diets.com/ for more great
nutrition, well-being, and vitamin tips as well as reviews and
comments on popular diets.

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