Healthytimes4u's Blog

Bedtime Blues – How Sleep Affects Diabetes

Carol's Health Notes & Then Some — Mon, 31 May 2010 23:03:52 +0000

In this article we are going to address how sleep affects diabetes, or more specifically how sleep affects blood sugar levels.

Are you feeling sluggish throughout the day?
Are you sleeping way too many hours each night?
Are you not getting enough sleep night after night?

Sleep, or the lack of it (or too much) may be affecting your health in ways in which you are not aware.

Studies have shown that sleeping for less than six hours or for more than nine hours each night is associated with an increased risk of diabetes and impaired blood sugar (glucose) tolerance by 2.5 fold.

Lead author Dr. Daniel J. Gottlieb, of the Boston University School of Medicine and colleagues who conducted the study, enrolled 1,486 people, ages 53 to 93 years of age in their study.

Questionnaires were completed by the group regarding sleep patterns and they underwent fasting glucose and glucose tolerance testing.

20.9 percent of the subjects had diabetes and in another 28.2 percent, were affected by impaired glucose tolerance. 17.1 percent reported a usual sleep time of six hours or less, including 8.4 percent who reported five hours or less. A total of 8.6 percent said that they slept for nine hours or more.

Compared with subjects who slept for seven to eight hours each night, the risk of diabetes was increased by 2.5 fold in those sleeping five or less hours. For those sleeping six hours it dropped to 1.66 fold. For those sleeping nine or more hours it again increased by 1.79 fold.

These tests suggest that voluntary sleep restriction may cause impaired glucose regulation and probably those sleeping nine hours or more per night are doing so because of some underlying condition that may not be diagnosed, but that puts them at an increased risk of diabetes, according to Gottlieb.

He further surmised that sleeping for at least seven hours a night is a good health practice for a variety of reasons, and this is one more reason.

So, how much sleep are you getting?
Are you at risk for developing diabetes or do you already have diabetes?

What can you do to prevent it?
What can you do to reverse it?

A simple way to determine how much sleep you need is to go to bed without setting an alarm. Sleep until you wake up naturally. Then repeat the process two or three times in a row to get a true picture of the amount of sleep your body requires. The best time to test this is when you are on vacation, for obvious reasons.

Still having trouble sleeping?

Consider a natural sleep aid that contains melatonin, the body’s “internal clock” regulator. As we age, the melatonin levels decrease. The ingredient melatonin supplements your body’s decreasing levels, to help provide sound, deep sleep without drowsy after effects. Consider using a product that provides the melatonin in a spray which allows the substance to enter the blood stream faster and provide more effective results.

Here is a superior source for this nutritional (in the anti-aging category) that supports healthy sleep and relieves occasional sleeplessness http://www.ways2betterhealth.com/

Will having a health coach help make changes in your life?

Do you want to manage diabetes with less medication?

Do you want to reduce everyday stress?

Do you want to lose weight and stop the roller-coaster dieting?

Do you wish you had someone who will listen first, who cares, who respects you & your privacy, who can ask helpful questions, who can provide you with lots of helpful material on line?

Information enclosed may not be construed as a medical diagnosis, treatment, advice, claim or substitute for a physician’s care.

A Fish Tale – Top 16 Benefits of Omega-3

Carol's Health Notes & Then Some — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 23:24:34 +0000

Are you aware of all of the benefits of Omega-3? There are
at least 16 of them, maybe more. Omega 3 is one of the most
beneficial oils for our body. In fact it is ESSENTIAL. That
is why they are called essential fatty acids.

Research shows that Greenland Eskimos and the Japanese enjoy
remarkable cardiovascular health. Scientists discovered that
these cultures consume foods rich in omega-3 fatty acids.

Omega-3 fatty acids are not made naturally by the body, so they
MUST be consumed through the diet. Most sources are available
in cold-water fish, including salmon, tuna, mackerel, and
halibut. They are also found in tofu, soybean, nuts, and
canola oils.

Sure, you can eat these foods every day and get some benefits,
but you know as well as I do, that you are not going to eat fish
EVERY day. And, if you are a vegetarian or vegan, you will not
be eating it at all. Of course, it is important to recognize
that some fish is safer to eat than others. If you are going to
eat salmon or tuna, make sure it is not FARMED fish. It should
identify on the packaging that it is wild fish from cold water
regions like Alaska or Iceland.

If you don’t like (or don’t eat) fish, or some of the other
sources of Omega-3,or you are concerned with the mercury level
in fish, Another way to get the additional Omega 3 is with
supplementation. Be sure that you find a product that uses a
pure source of Omega 3 fatty acids with NO detectible mercury.
An Omega-3 supplement with Vitamin E will be even more beneficial
as Vitamin E is an integral component of cell membranes. It helps
prevent free radical oxidation, shielding DNA from possible
mutagens. In addition, it helps maintain circulatory system
health.

Here are some of the reasons for making sure you are getting
enough Omega 3 in your diet.

Top 16 Benefits of taking Omega 3

• Anti-inflammatory – Helps reduce joint pain
• Lowers blood pressure
• Lowers bad cholesterol – Increases levels of good
cholesterol
• Lowers triglycerides
• Increases energy
• Supports circulatory system health
• Prevents blood clots (cause of heart attack and stroke)
• Improves memory
• Reduces plaque
• Boosts immune system
• Supports healthy skin
• Anti-Obesity
• Regulates pressure in the eye, joints, and blood vessels
• Supports cellular health – Transports oxygen from red
blood cells to the tissues
• Maintains healthy kidney function and fluid balance
• Regulates release of inflammatory substances from cells
that may trigger allergic conditions

Both Omega 6 and Omega 3 are essential, but the body requires
them in a ratio of 1:1. Currently in the United States the
ratio is around 10:1.

If the diet is deficient in either omega-6 or omega-3, long-term
degenerative illnesses will result. However, because the end
product (eg prostaglandin, leukotriene) of EFA metabolism differ
slightly but significantly from Omega-6 to Omega-3, they must be
present in BALANCE for optimum health.

For a safe and effective source of Omega 3 check out the essential
nutrient nutritional products at http://healthyalternatives.ineways.com/Products/Products.aspx?CCID=ProductSearchResults1&PRODSRCH=Omega%203%20EPA&PageId=922

Coach Carol

Should you be Checked for Diabetes?

Carol's Health Notes & Then Some — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 03:31:33 +0000

There are nearly 75 million people who have diabetes or pre-diabetes who are having problems managing their health in relationship with diabetes, especially Type II. You may be one of them or know someone who is.

If you don’t treat yourself with respect and love yourself, you will not be able to help others in your life. Just as the airline attendant tells you to put the oxygen mask on yourself first so you will then be able to help others around you, when it comes to your health, you must take care of yourself first.

Following are some of the Diabetes or Diabetic warning signs that may mean you should be checked by a physician.
1. Excess fat around the waist and buttocks

2. Dieting that doesn’t seem to work long-term no matter how hard you try.

3. Lack of energy, especially in the afternoon or right after large meals

4. You feel like you want to take a nap at all hours of the day

5. Lack of concentration or mental fatigue during the day

6. Health problems including high blood sugar, high cholesterol, or high blood pressure

7. A constant feeling of thirst – dry lips & mouth

8. Extremely itchy, dry skin

9. Problems with eyesight – things start to look blurry or unclear

10. Wounds do not heal quickly

Having one or two of these symptoms may not mean that you are diabetic or even pre-diabetic or that you have insulin resistance. However, if you notice a pattern with several of these areas, you may want to make an appointment to visit your doctor.

A simple blood test called the A1c will determine if you are at risk for diabetes (or adult onset diabetes).

If you are diagnosed as a diabetic, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you are doomed to having a life filled with other health risks. In future posts we’ll talk about ways to manage your lifestyle and keep you from a lifetime of insulin shots or even medications.

When you accept and understand where you are regarding diabetes or pre-diabetes you will then better understand what steps you will need and want to take to eliminate the signs of diabetes. Yes, diabetes can be reversed and you can do it, however it does take a firm commitment to make some changes that may be contrary to what you are used to doing. The result will be a healthier lifestyle that will not only protect you against diabetes pre-diabetes, but also other health conditions.

Remember that you can now do a lot to help yourself in the diabetes fight. One way is to have a health coach to help you stay on track. .

Coach Carol