Diabetes affects around 16 million Americans and about 800,000 new cases are diagnosed each year. Diabetes attacks men, women, children and the elderly. It spares no race.

Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure, blindness in Adults and amputations. It is a major risk factor for heart disease, stroke, and birth defects and it shortens life expectancy by up to 15 years. So you can see what I am up against. It is up to me to make sure that none of these things ever happen to my daughter. My daughter Ashley has Diabetes Type 1. She will be 10 years old March 15th. Ashley has been a diabetic for 5 years.

Five years ago I was totally overwhelmed by all that information. I felt helpless and depressed. I was sure this was a death sentence for my daughter. This was because of my total ignorance of Diabetes. A person can live a full life with Diabetes. It just takes some extra care. A good diet plays an important part in a Diabetics life. They need to put together a meal plan with their doctor & dietitian. My daughter has several meals a day. She has breakfast, a snack, lunch, a snack, dinner & another snack. She has these meals at the same time every day. This is important. It helps keep her body on a schedule and her blood sugar regulated. Skipping meals and snacks may lead to large swings in blood sugar readings. To keep blood sugar levels near normal a Diabetic must balance the food they eat with the insulin the body gets from injections and with physical activities. Blood sugar monitoring gives you the information you need to help with this balancing. Near normal blood sugar readings will help you feel better. Normal is between 70 and 120. They will also reduce your chances of complications.

Lets talk about how a Diabetic needs to eat. Everyone needs to eat nutritious foods. Our good health depends on eating a variety of foods that contain the right amount of Carbohydrate, Protein, Fat, Vitamins, Minerals, Fiber and Water. Carbohydrate, Protein and Fat are found in the food that you eat. They supply your body with energy. Your body needs insulin to use this energy. Insulin is made in the pancreas. If you have Diabetes, either your pancreas is no longer producing insulin or your body can?t use the insulin it is making. So your blood sugar levels are not normal.

Starch and Sugar in foods are Carbohydrates. You can find starch in breads, pasta, cereal, potatoes, beans, peas and lentils. Natural sugars are in fruits, milk and vegetables. There are added sugars in desserts, candy, jam and syrup. All of these Carbohydrates can affect your blood sugar. When you eat Carbohydrates they turn into glucose and travel in your bloodstream. Insulin helps the glucose enter the beta cells in your pancreas where it can be turned into energy and stored. Eating the same amount of Carbohydrate daily at meals and snacks can help you control your blood sugar levels. Protein is in meats, poultry, fish, milk and other dairy products, eggs, beans, peas and lentils. Starches and vegetables have small amounts of protein. The body uses protein for growth, maintenance and energy. Your body needs insulin to use the protein you eat.

Fat is in margarine, butter, oils, salad dressings, nuts, seeds, milk, cheese, meat, fish, poultry, snack food, ice-cream and desserts. There are three different types of fat. Monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and saturated. Everyone should eat less saturated fats found in meats, dairy products, coconut, palm or palm kernel oil, and hardened shortening.

Saturated fats can raise your blood levels of cholesterol. The fats that are best are the monounsaturated fats found in canola oil, olive oil, nuts, and avocado. The polyunsaturated fats found in corn oil, soybean oil, or sunflower oil are good too. After you eat fat it travels through your bloodstream. You need insulin to store fat in the cells of your body. Fats are used for energy.

So you can see what a big role insulin plays in your body. Good diet is very important for a Diabetic. Excersize is also very important. A Diabetic can live a healthy full life if they do three things. Eat healthy, Excersize, and inject the right amount of insulin. It takes dedication and hard work. But in the end it is totally worth it because it is your life.

Devoting her last 8 years to Diabetes Education, Kimberly maintains her website ElviraDarkNight.com and publishes the Living Life as a Diabetic Newsletter as well as dispatches donated Diabetic supplies to needie individuals without Health Insurance. Kim would like to personally invite you to become informed on issues of Health, Nutrition & Diabetes.

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As spring arrives many of us are left with a legacy from the short days and long nights of winter - a whole heap of extra pounds we could do without. And it's not all due to overeating during the festive season. It seems that whether we have lots of parties to attend or not, we are all programmed to eat more in winter.

It's all to do with our brain chemistry and especially the feel-good hormone we produce called serotonin. This hormone helps us feel calm, balanced and in control of our emotions and without it we start to feel down and depressed. But levels of this hormone drop in the population as a whole in winter and as the nights draw in and the amount of daylight we all receive diminishes, we are increasingly attracted to eat sweet and starchy food in an attempt to raise serotonin levels.

Of course, a sudden intake of sweet or starchy food causes blood sugar and then insulin levels to peak and we actually experience a rapid drop in blood sugar as insulin does its work and reduces the glucose level in the blood. As a result, we crave sweet and starchy food even more!

Whereas all of us experience this drop in serotonin levels to some degree, some 5 to 10% of the population - those who suffer from seasonal affective disorder (or SAD) - have an acute form of this problem and may gain anything up to 30lbs in weight each winter. It's also thought that some 25% of the population suffer a milder form of the disorder. SAD affects not only your eating patterns but leaves you feeling depressed, lethargic and sleepy - none of which contribute to anyone maintaining their summer shape.

It's all very well, knowing why we gain weight each winter, but what can you do about it?

During winter it's important to maintain a balanced diet, keeping blood sugar on an even keel, even if you find you need to eat a bit more than in the rest of the year. If you choose your carbohydrates in the form of whole grains and vegetables and always eat some lean protein with every meal or snack you will take yourself out of the high-low blood sugar trap and will gain less weight.

You will probably also find that with the arrival of spring, the pounds drop off more easily because you will be less attracted to heavy winter foods and are happier to eat salads, fresh vegetables and lean proteins so the start of spring is a great time to lose weight for summer.

Copyright 2006, Janice Elizabeth Small

Janice Elizabeth Small is a health and wellness writer and slimming coach. She became interested in seasonal affective disorder after seeing the effects of winter on herself and her clients.

For more information about Seasonal Affective Disorder symptoms, causes and treatment see her site at http://www.allaboutSAD.com

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The Japanese enjoy one of the healthiest diets on earth. Japan?s population has the lowest level of obesity in the developed world and people tend to live longer than any other country.

The Japanese diet is an easy and fun diet to follow.

Healthy Diets should be Effortless

There are major concerns over low or no carb diets, such as the Atkins diet. These diets are not natural, and aside from health concerns, many people find them difficult to follow.

The Japanese diet is natural and a sensible way to eat (similar to the Mediterranean diet) and like most healthy diets it is not difficult to follow.

The Perfect Healthy Diet for Everyone

The traditional Japanese diet is very low in cholesterol, fat, and calories and high in fiber and here are the eight secrets of its success:

1. Eat Rice

How many times in a week do you eat rice? For the Japanese it is normally daily.

Rice is rich in carbohydrates and proteins it is the basis of the Japanese diet.

2. Eat More Fish

The Japanese eat about 70kg of fish per person per year, that?s four times as much as the average for the rest of the world.

Eating fish (particularly oily fish) lowers the risk of disease and increases vitality.

3. Eat Soya

The Japanese eat 10 times more Soya produce than any other nation. Low in calories and fat and high in protein Soya is also packed with plant oestrogen.

4. Variety

A recent study showed that Japanese people eat an average of 100 different foods a week, compared to just 30 in other western countries. This well balanced diet provides all the nutrients the body needs.

A premium is also placed upon freshness and natural flavor; people like to eat ingredients at their shun or now-in-season in Japanese.

Eating the ingredients in season provides variety and a better way to get all the nutrients you need naturally; also a lot of raw foods are eaten that have a higher nutritional value than heavily cooked foods.

5. Portion Control

Portions tend to be smaller and are savored, and it is this portion control that stops binging and over eating.

Each portion is eaten slowly, so the stomach has more time to register when it is full. Eating slowly also aids digestion and absorption of the nutrients in the food.

6. Breakfast

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, giving a boost of energy and preventing hunger pangs later.

A typical breakfast might include green tea, steamed rice, miso soup with tofu, spring onions and maybe omelette and grilled salmon. Sounds better than Muesli to me!

7. Cook Light

In the Japanese diet, food is usually steamed, pan-fried, simmered or stir fried over intense heat. This method of cooking helps the food retain more of the nutrients and particularly anti ageing antioxidants.

8. Enjoy Sweets

The Japanese diet has room for these treats.

They love chocolate, pastries, ice cream and cookies.

The difference is they view them as a regular treat and do not overdo the portions.

One of the Best Diets on Earth

When looking at healthy diets it is clear that the Japanese have one of the best diets on earth:

? Low in cholesterol and fat

? Well balanced

A huge variety of foods to enjoy so you will never get bored.

More dieting and general health information and FREE exclusive diet and health magazines, are available on our web site: http://www.net-planet.org

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Was there a time when you relished the idea of giving dinner parties?

What a great opportunity to bond with old friends, try out a few new recipes, and find a reason to clean up the house!

Has diabetes robbed you of the enjoyable events involving your friends and family?

Diabetes has an ugly characteristic of wrecking the lives of it's victims by forcing them into seclusion.

If you have been neglecting the enjoyable events of your life, please take action to control your diabetes. With a proactive mind-set, you can control and beat diabetes!

You, your friends, and especially your family will love you for taking control. Get back to the fun things in life,,,, Take control of your diabetes.

Ask your doctor about diabetes and have your blood sugar checked several times a year.

For more information about diabetes, including a Diabetes Quiz and a Free booklet, visit the Hope4Diabetes website at: http://hope4diabetes.com/info

This 20 page FREE booklet will provide you with in-depth information on comprehensive diabetes care. The 7 principles, or steps, will help you to understand, manage and diagnose your potential diabetes risk.

It could help you live a longer and more active life. The booklet is Yours absolutely FREE - No Risk! Share it NOW with the people you love and want to Keep alive!

David Anderson is a freelance health writer for Hope4Diabetes.com. Awareness is the first step to preventing the onset of diabetes. Visit our website at: http://hope4diabetes.com/info for more information and a free book.

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We get old and sick due to excess acid in our body. So, it follows if we reduce the acid and increase the alkaline levels we would be healthier and live longer. However, some doctors say that the stomach acid kills the alkalinity so; drinking alkaline water will do no good. Well what about that?

What happens in the stomach when we drink high pH alkaline water? The stomach maintains the pH level at right around 4.0. The more alkaline water we drink the higher the stomach pH goes, sometimes it will rise above 4.5. When this happens the stomach will produce more hydrochloric acid to bring the stomach pH back down to below 4.0.

Hydrochloric acid and sodium bicarbonate is made from water, sodium chloride (table salt) and carbon dioxide. The sodium bicarbonate goes into the bloodstream and the hydrochloric acid goes into the stomach.

The alkaline buffer in our blood is sodium bicarbonate, and it is the alkaline and acid buffers that are constantly monitoring the blood pH to maintain a constant blood pH of 7.365. When the blood becomes too alkaline, the acid buffer goes to work to bring the pH down; and when there is too much alkaline, then the alkaline buffer (sodium bicarbonate) goes to work to raise the pH level.

From Sang Whang, inventor of Alkalife:

?Alkaline buffers are bicarbonate (HCO3-) mated with alkaline minerals. Examples of them are sodium bicarbonate (NaHCO3), potassium bicarbonate (KHCO3), calcium bicarbonate (Ca(HCO3)2) and magnesium bicarbonate (Mg(HCO3)2). Acid buffer is mainly carbonic acid (H2CO3), a water and carbon dioxide combination. Carbohydrate completely burnt becomes carbon dioxide (CO2) and water (H2O); therefore there is no shortage of acid buffer.?

It was Lynda Frassetto, University of California, San Francisco, who discovered in 1966 that we lose the alkaline buffer ? bicarbonates in our blood as we age. The process seems to begin at age 45 and by 90 we have lost 18% of the bicarbonates in our blood.

When the bicarbonates in our blood are reduced it impairs the body?s ability to neutralize and dump the acid our body produces. It is also at the age of around 45 that symptoms of diabetes, or osteoporosis and other diseases related to the aging process occur. When these acidic wastes are not released from the body and begin to build up, theses wastes take the form of fatty acid, sulfate, phosphate, uric acid, cholesterol, kidney stones, etc.

It is only the water?s pH value that helps the blood receive bicarbonates. It is the most important function of alkaline water since we lose these bicarbonates as we age. When we alkalize our body we increase the ability of our blood to neutralize the acid.

Our world has changed from an organic, agricultural base to one that is industrial and toxic. And because of the greed of our industries a lot of these toxins have found their way into our air, water, food, and alas our bodies. The more pollution, the more stress the more acid. High protein diets and soft drinks also add to the acidity and this is why we lose bicarbonates in the blood as we age.

This is taken from Sang Wang, ?The medical society considers the reduction of bicarbonates in the blood as an inevitable fact of aging. I argue that the reduction of bicarbonates in the blood is the cause of aging and diseases, not the result of aging. As long as we can replenish bicarbonates in the blood, we don?t have to age!?

Now Enter Alkaline Water

To Drink or Not to Drink

Only when the stomach produces hydrochloric acid do bicarbonates enter the bloodstream. So it is best to drink the alkaline water on an empty stomach with the water having a pH level of 9.5 -10. The reason for this is the alkaline will raise the stomach pH relatively high and that will cause the stomach to produce more hydrochloric acid, allowing for more bicarbonates to enter the blood. (I carry a bottle of water with me everywhere I go and my bottle of Alkalife and just drink it all day long.) You can get the Alkalife from www.drclarkuniversity.org Click on books and products and then click on the University book store and then the link on the left ?Alkalife?

So, now you know how alkaline water will prevent the onset of adult degenerative diseases and aging in general.

Michele Michaels has been active in raising awareness for alternative and natural methods of curing and treating all manner of illnesses.

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There is a groundswell of opposition forming to fight Bill S.852 - the Fairness in Asbestos Injury Resolution Act of 2005.

Battle lines have been drawn, large corporations have enlisted several top lobbyists in Washington DC to champion this Bill.

Lobbyists tout the bill as the answer to help ease the burden on our judicial system regarding asbestos litigation.

The net result of the bill if passed, will be to add several layers of government involvement to an already overburdened legal system.

Increased federal involvement will increase expenses associated with asbestos litigation.

Adding another layer of bureaucracy to victims stricken with Mesothelioma is not the answer. Individuals exposed to these harmful agents have the right to be heard on an individual basis.

The Bill has set guidelines regarding the individuals past exposure to asbestos.

To place individuals exposed to asbestos in a 3 level template is unjust.

The Three levels of asbestos exposure are defined in a qualitative and subjective manner based on the length of employment in an asbestos exposure-related job. They are:

? Moderate Exposure
In a standard work year, the person worked in areas immediate to where asbestos-containing products were installed, repaired or removed and involved regular airborne emissions of asbestos. This counts as one year of substantial occupational exposure.

? Heavy Exposure
In a standard work year, the person was involved in the direct installation, repair or removal of asbestos-containing products and thus was exposed to asbestos on a regular basis. This counts as two years of substantial occupational exposure.

? Very Heavy Exposure
In a standard work year, the person worked in primary asbestos manufacturing, a World War II shipyard or the asbestos insulation trades and thus was exposed to asbestos fibers on a regular basis. This counts as four years of substantial occupational exposure.

The proposed bill will destroy individual?s rights to just compensation in a timely manner. Mesothelioma is a catastrophic disease caused by asbestos exposure.

Become involved in the fight to keeps victims rights regarding asbestos litigation in the hands of the people.

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Smoking tends to become a real phenomenon among people nowadays. This is due to the fact that everyone lives under stress and smoking is a solution for such living conditions. Not only adults are the ones that decide to start smoking but also young teenagers. These are exposed to such risks because of their environment and of their curiosity to try everything that it is offered without taking into account the consequences.

These days the number of smokers covers a wide range of ages. The more this number increases the more the alternatives for stop smoking help are augmented. Besides the help of the family and of the ones that are close to the one who decides to give up smoking, there are some other choices that are more organized. This way stop smoking help is offered by professionals who know exactly what to say and what to do.

Help Yourself

First and foremost you are the only one who can give you assistance. You must have a strong will and you also have to be very motivated. Seek for such motivation in your own person and it will be of great help. Think that no one knows or wants what is best for yourself but you. Make a list of the advantages and disadvantages of giving up this vice and you?ll see that this way you?ll manage to find some powerful reasons to support your decision.

Ask for Help

You must seek help wherever you are likely to find it. Ask your family and your friends to provide you assistance, to be around when you feel the need and this would happen especially when you have to be convinced to give up smoking but also during the first days after quitting.

Moreover there is also the option for asking stop smoking help from professionals. This way you can talk with a psychologist or a counselor. Don?t hesitate to rely on their valuable pieces of advice given the fact that this is their job and they are the most qualified persons in such situations. And this is a chance for you to have a certain effective help by resorting to individual counseling, a therapy that takes place just between doctor and patient.

You can also join a community. This is a solution that will make you realize that you are not the only one who struggles to give up smoking. There you can empathize with one another but also while having group discussions you have the opportunity to find a great variety of solutions from which you can choose in order to solve your problem.

It is not so important which variant for stop smoking help you pick up. If you think you can do it on your own then you should do your best in order to achieve your goal. If you consider that you are not strong enough then you must ask the others to assist you. But if you decide to combine all these forms of stop smoking help then it is sure that this method will not fail.

Leon Williams
Smart tools for Smart marketers
http://www.infoaffiliate.com

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