Controlling Cholesterol Level With Diabetes

 There are two types of cholesterol:

1. Bad, also called LDL
2. Good, also called HDL

Adults with type 1 & 2 diabetes are at risk for heart disease and strokes even if their cholesterol level is normal. The risk is; however,  greater if the LDL cholesterol is high. 

The goal  for diabetics is to lower the bad or LDL cholesterol because it increases the risks of cardiovascular disease. The good cholesterol reduces the risks of these diseases, so increasing it will contribute to a healthy LDL: HDL ratio.

Diabetics should have their cholesterol tested every 1-3 years. if they are taking cholesterol medication it may be more often.

You can control your cholesterol  with  healthy eating, being physically active and maintaining a healthy weight. These can all be combined and  done at home with self care.



 There is also cholesterol testing  that can be done at home.

Unhealthy eating, physical inactivity and overweight are avoidable health risk factors that can be eliminated without cost.
 
Healthy Eating

• Choose food with little or no cholesterol-Aim for less than 200mg per day
• Choose food with little Saturated Fat
• Choose food with no Trans Fat
• Choose food high in fibre- Aim for 25g per day or more

Physical Activity-Thirty minutes of physical activity per day or 150 minutes per week is recommended.
Walking is a simple way to keep active and to get the recommended physical activity.

Weight Control- Maintaining a health body weight is important, this can be accomplished by combining physical activity with healthy eating and by eating wisely (not overeating or binging).

Assessment of your body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference can help you develop a healthy body weight plan.  These two measurements are used by experts and are highly recommended.

There are online health programs that teach people to self-care at home to manage diseases like diabetes. Even with no medical coverage people every where can learn to take control and improve their health.

Click here for details of a Free program that can help you self-care at home and develop healthy habits.

Nutrition And The Food Groups

Proper nutrition is about healthy eating, for healthy eating food is classified into four groups. The four food groups are essential to a balance diet, but they are not equal in value.

The four groups are shown in the picture below. Can you identify them?

The four food groups in order of importance are:

1. Vegetables & Fruit
2. Grain Products
3. Milk and Milk Alternatives
4. Meat & Meat alternatives 

To maintain a healthy lifestyle and a healthy weight, it is important that the right amount of food from each group is consumed daily. The amount we need is measured by the number of servings and the size of a serving.  

Although the size of a serving is the same for everyone, the number of servings we require is based on age and gender. The number of servings we need also varies from one food group to another.

The daily food intake for overweight and obese people is the same as for everyone. With the daily recommended exercise overweight people can control weight gain.

It is essential that we eat foods from all four groups and not eliminate any from our diet. The most important group is 'Vegetables & Fruit, the second most important is 'Grain Products.' These two groups provide most of our essential nutrients.

Milk and Meat Products are the next two groups, they are associated with caution when choosing them.  They are both associated with saturated fat, for this there is a limit on  how much should be eaten and which ones should be avoided. Too much animal meat is linked to cancer, for this it is wise to eat no more than is recommended.  legumes, beans and lentils are excellent alternatives to animal meat and can be eaten without restriction.

Diabetes in Childen and Adolescents

Type 1 diabetes is a disease which occurs when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar. The disease was previously called juvenile diabetes.

Due to  deficient insulin production, children with Type1 diabetes require daily administration of insulin.
Type 1 diabetes affects children of all ages, but the poorest are hit the hardest.  Unfortunately there is no known way to prevent it.  Here are some facts:

• More than 200 children develop type 1 diabetes daily.
• 700,000 children annually under the age of 15
• 50% of children develop complications 12 years after diagnosis
• Over 50% of type 2 diabetes can be prevented
• Children die because they cannot get medication
• Children with diabetes can live full productive lives.

Due to deficient insulin production, children with Type1 diabetes require daily administration of insulin.
Warning signs:

• Urinary frequency
• Excessive thirst
• Increased hunger
• Weight loss
• Tiredness
• Lack of interest and concentration
• Blurred vision
• Vomiting
• Stomach pain

Promoting a health lifestyle will prevent them from developing type 2 diabetes. This includes:

1. Maintaining a healthy weight
2. Keeping physically active
3. Developing a healthy eating pattern
4. Avoiding exposure to second hand smoke

These children cannot afford to be overweight. They need to adopt healthy eating habits. Parents can help by setting an example and by preparing nutritious healthy meals.

Health agencies can help by supporting and funding Initiatives to reduce incidents of diabetic ketoacidosis, this will reduce the number of deaths.

World Heart Day-Make Heart Choices

World Heart Day is hosted every year to honour heart health and to raise worldwide awareness of Heart Disease. Heart disease is the number one killer globally for both men and women. The World Heart Federation has organized the biggest World Heart Day event on September 29, 2014. Watch this video.



There are several ways to get involved:
-Signing their petition
-Follow on Twitter and Facebook
-Sharing their videos
-8  Week walking challenge
-Donating
-Becoming a World Heart Day partner

 Read about them.

Don't have time to get involved on September 29?  You can participate year round by following the steps to a Heart Healthy Lifestyle.

• Quit smoking 
• Keep Physically active 
• Eat a healthy diet 
• Maintain a healthy weight
• Enjoy clean Air 
• Keep informed

 Click here to learn how to protect your Heart Health year round.

Oils and Fat for Healthy Eating

Oil and fat are important to a healthy diet. Oil and fat supply calories and essential fats; they help our bodies absorb fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K.

The type of fat we consume:  however, is as important as the amount . Polyunsaturated and mono-unsaturated fats are good  for our diet, they are  excellent sources of Omega- 3 and Omega-6.  A certain amount of these fat  in our diet is good for proper nutrition.

Saturated and trans fat contribute to an unhealthy diet and increase your risk for cardiovascular disease. We want to LIMIT saturated fat and AVOID trans fat.

Too much fat in the diet can contribute to obesity, cardiovascular disease, high cholesterol and hypertension. To ensure you get the right type and amount of fat in your diet, include 45-60 ml of unsaturated fat each day in your diet. This can be fat or oils used for salad dressing, oil used for cooking, soft margarine at the table or mayonnaise.




These are recommended sources of fat:

• Olive oil
• Canola oil
• Coconut oil
• Soya Oil
• Omega 3 and Omega 6 oils
• Fish oils
• Soft margarine
• Salad dressing

 When purchasing oils, prepared food or package food products, it is wise to check nutritional labels to avoid an unhealthy fat intake. Food products with trans fat should be avoided,  choose those with the least saturated fat.

Preparing your own food will allow you to measure the fat and oil you use and will prevent you from consuming too much and the wrong type.