Chia Seed Comeback: The Healthy Alternative

Everyone hears at some point in their lives that “your body is a temple” and most of the time this comment gets brushed off without the importance of the saying truly being grasped. Your body is something sacred and it’s the only one you have so you need to be good to it and only put the best nutrients in it! Another super food that is making its way into many recipes is the Chia seed. This seed is a species of flowering plant in the mint family, native to central and southern Mexico and Guatemala. Although this seed may be firmly planted in our minds, as the seeds that gave life to the gag gift know as the chia pet, it is now becoming a top choice food of the health conscious.

 

Chia seeds are making a come back in the year 2013 and people can reap the many health benefits by adding them to their diets. Chia is the richest vegetable source for omega 3 fatty acid. It has up to 10 times the oil of most other grains and up to twice the protein. These oils are essentials for the absorption of vitamins A, B, E and K. Chia is also rich in calcium and the mineral boron, which aids in the absorption of calcium.

 

Chia seeds are also ideal when it comes to weight loss being that they reduce food cravings by preventing some of the food that you eat from getting absorbed into your system. The blockage of calorie absorption makes them a great diet helper. They can also improve your diet and health goals by making you feel fuller faster. This is because they absorb 10 times their weight in water, forming a bulky gel.

 

Athletes especially can benefit from utilizing this helpful seed because the “chia gel” that is formed can hydrate the body. They are a fast and easy way to add energy to your body without adding extra fat. This energy source for athletes won’t weigh you down or feel heavy in your stomach after eating them. People with diabetes can also indulge in this seed and receive benefits. Chia seeds slow down how fast our bodies convert carbohydrates into simple sugars, studies indicate they can control blood sugar. It is clear chia seeds are making a comeback and should definitely be considered when choosing new health foods.

 

Here are some great ways to enjoy chia seeds:

 

They can be eaten raw. (They have a nice “nutty” flavor.)

 

They can be soaked in fruit juice (in Mexico, they call this “chia fresca”).

 

They’re perfect in porridges and puddings.

 

They make an ideal addition to baked goods including breads, cakes and biscuits.

Natural Tips To Heal Diabetes

Diabetes has been on the rise for several years now, and growing rapidly. There is an increased need for information concerning this disease along with understanding and treatment options.

What is Diabetes?

There are two types of diabetes and they are easily named. Type I Diabetes, and type II. Diabetes is when the body's insulin is either not being made or not being used properly. Insulin in a healthy body is a hormone produced to break down sugars and starches into energy.

Type I is usually found in children and young adults. Insulin is not being made in patients with type I. Type II is the most common. The body doesn't make the insulin needed or is unable to use it in type II diabetes. The safe, natural way to treat diabetes is through diet. This may seem like common sense and easy to do, however if you are not reading labels and understanding how the body processes food, this could be more difficult than expected.

First, talk to your doctor about what types of things are good to eat and which ones you should stay away from. A nutritionist is another great person to see. They will be able to write out a menu for you that has all of the foods along with recipes that you can have.

Read labels! It is really a surprise once you begin. You will find that healthy fruit granola bar that you have been eating (and thought was good for you) is really packed full of sugars and fat. Maybe it's a sports drink that you have after your daily exercise routine or your salad dressing. There are sugars and fats in a lot of what we eat. It's important to know exactly what is going in your body.

Below you will find a few tips to start healing your body naturally

The American Diabetes Association recommends 2.5 hours of exercise per week. It should be non-impact exercise such as swimming, cycling, or yoga. The best time is an hour after breakfast or dinner. You need to exercise regularly and carefully. Exercise will lower your blood glucose levels so it is important to not over-exercise and take carbohydrates if your levels drop too low. Remember to drink plenty of water.

Make sure to monitor your weight. Weight loss can restore insulin sensitivity. Make sure to eat smaller portions, reduce your intake of saturated fat, and carefully monitor your food selections. Eating at regular times can also help with losing weight and controlling blood sugar levels.

Put the fiber back in your diet. Fiber helps your body to regulate blood sugar. Eat whole grains such as brown rice and oatmeal. Eat up to three daily servings of fresh fruit and vegetables high in fiber.

Natural Supplements to help diabetes or pre-diabetic

Chromium-is one that has shown positive benefits. It has been shown to prevent the onset of Type II or even reverse it.

Bitter melonhas-also been shown to help regulate blood sugar levels. Others that may help are Java Plum, Noni, and Bitterwood. Java Plum may help to level out the insulin. Noni will help restore energy, while Bitterwood will help to stimulate the liver.

Reflexology and yoga can be used to reduce stress. Stress is often what causes a lot of the body's problems including carving sweet, fatty foods.

Before trying any new health program be sure to check with your diet. Also, keep in mind the methods mentioned are suggestions and are not here to replace medications to treat diabetes.

Want to learn more about reversing diabetes naturally? Be sure to contact our office to learn more about this exciting program.

Pampering4life Health Tip: Diabetes

What is diabetes?

Diabetes means that your blood glucose (sugar) is too high. Your blood always has some glucose in it because the body uses glucose for energy; it's the fuel that keeps you going. But too much glucose in the blood is not good for your health.
Your body changes most of the food you eat into glucose. Your blood takes the glucose to the cells throughout your body. The glucose needs insulin to get into the body's cells. Insulin is a hormone made in the pancreas, an organ near the stomach. The pancreas releases insulin into the blood. Insulin helps the glucose from food get into body cells. If your body does not make enough insulin or the insulin does not work right, the glucose can't get into the cells, so it stays in the blood. This makes your blood glucose level high, causing you to have diabetes.
If not controlled, diabetes can lead to blindness, heart disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputations (having a toe or foot removed, for example), and nerve damage. In women, diabetes can cause problems during pregnancy and make it more likely that your baby will be born with birth defects.

What is pre-diabetes?

Pre-diabetes means your blood glucose is higher than normal but lower than the diabetes range. It also means you are at risk of getting type 2 diabetes and heart disease. There is good news though: You can reduce the risk of getting diabetes and even return to normal blood glucose levels with modest weight loss and moderate physical activity. If you are told you have pre-diabetes, have your blood glucose checked again in 1 to 2 years.

What are the different types of diabetes?

The three main types of diabetes are:

• Type 1 diabetes is commonly diagnosed in children and young adults, but it's a lifelong condition. If you have this type of diabetes, your body does not make insulin, so you must take insulin every day. Treatment for type 1 diabetes includes taking insulin shots or using an insulin pump, making healthy food choices, getting regular physical activity, taking aspirin daily (for many people), and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
• Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes — about 9 out of 10 people with diabetes have type 2 diabetes. You can get type 2 diabetes at any age, even during childhood. In type 2 diabetes, your body makes insulin, but the insulin can't do its job, so glucose is not getting into the cells. Treatment includes taking medicine, making healthy food choices, getting regular physical activity, taking aspirin daily (for many people), and controlling blood pressure and cholesterol levels. If you have type 2 diabetes, your body generally produces less and less insulin over time. This means that you may need to increase your medications or start using insulin in order to keep your diabetes in good control.
• Gestational (jess-TAY-shun-ul) diabetes occurs during pregnancy. This type of diabetes occurs in about 1 in 20 pregnancies. During pregnancy your body makes hormones that keep insulin from doing its job. To make up for this, your body makes extra insulin. But in some women this extra insulin is not enough, so they get gestational diabetes. Gestational diabetes usually goes away when the pregnancy is over. Women who have had gestational diabetes are very likely to develop type 2 diabetes later in life.

Who gets diabetes?

About 24 million Americans have diabetes, about half of whom are women. As many as one quarter do not know they have diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes occurs at about the same rate in men and women, but it is more common in Caucasians than in other ethnic groups.
Type 2 diabetes is more common in older people, mainly in people who are overweight. It is more common in African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans/Latinos, and American Indians.

What causes diabetes?

Type 1 and type 2 diabetes —The exact causes of both types of diabetes are still not known. For both types, genetic factors make it possible for diabetes to develop. But something in the person's environment is also needed to trigger the onset of diabetes. With type 1 diabetes, those environmental triggers are unknown. With type 2 diabetes, the exact cause is also unknown, but it is clear that excess weight helps trigger the disease. Most people who get type 2 diabetes are overweight.
Gestational diabetes — Changing hormones and weight gain are part of a healthy pregnancy, but these changes make it hard for your body to keep up with its need for insulin. When that happens, your body doesn't get the energy it needs from the foods you eat.

Am I at risk for diabetes?

The risk factors for type 1 diabetes are unknown. Things that can put you at risk for type 2 diabetes include:

• Age — being older than 45
• Overweight or obesity
• Family history — having a mother, father, brother, or sister with diabetes
• Race/ethnicity — your family background is African-American, American Indian/Alaska Native, Hispanic-American/Latino, Asian-American/Pacific Islander and Native Hawaiian
• Having a baby with a birth weight more than 9 pounds
• Having diabetes during pregnancy (gestational diabetes)
• High blood pressure — 140/90 mmHg or higher. Both numbers are important. If one or both numbers are usually high, you have high blood pressure.
• High cholesterol — total cholesterol over 240 mg/dL
• Inactivity — exercising less than 3 times a week
• Abnormal results in a prior diabetes test
• Having other health conditions that are linked to problems using insulin, like polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS)
• Having a history of heart disease or stroke

What are the signs of diabetes?

• Being very thirsty
• Urinating a lot
• Feeling very hungry
• Feeling very tired
• Losing weight without trying
• Having sores that are slow to heal
• Having dry, itchy skin
• Losing feeling in or having tingling in the hands or feet
• Having blurry vision
• Having more infections than usual

If you have one or more of these signs, see your doctor.

How can I take care of myself if I have diabetes?

Many people with diabetes live healthy and full lives. By following your doctor's instructions and eating right, you can too. Here are the things you'll need to do to keep your diabetes in check:

• Follow your meal plan — Eat lots of whole grain foods, fruits, and vegetables.
• Get moving — Health benefits are gained by doing the following each week:
  • 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity
  or
  • 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity
  or
  • A combination of moderate and vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity
  and
  • Muscle-strengthening activities on 3 days

• Test your blood glucose — Keep track of your blood glucose levels and talk to your doctor about ways to keep your levels on target. Many women report that their blood glucose levels go up or down around their period. If you're going through menopause, you might also notice your blood glucose levels going up and down.

• Take your diabetes medicine exactly as your doctor tells you.

Talk to your doctor about other things you can do to take good care of yourself. Taking care of your diabetes can help prevent serious problems in your eyes, kidneys, nerves, gums and teeth, and blood vessels

Is there anything I can do to prevent diabetes?

Yes. The best way to prevent diabetes is to make some lifestyle changes:

• Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight raises your risk for diabetes. Calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI)  to see if you're at a healthy weight. If you're overweight, start making small changes to your eating habits by adding more whole grain foods, fruits, and vegetables. Start exercising more, even if taking a short walk is all you can do for now. If you're not sure where to start, talk to your doctor. Even a relatively small amount of weight loss – 10 to 15 pounds – has been proven to delay or even prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes.
• Eat healthy
  • Eat lots of whole grains (such as whole wheat or rye bread, whole grain cereal, or brown rice), fruits, and vegetables.
  • Choose foods low in fat and cholesterol. Read food labels. If you eat 2,000 calories per day, you should eat no more than 56 grams of fat each day.
  • If you drink alcohol, limit it to no more than one or two drinks (one 12-ounce beer, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or one 1.5-ounce shot of hard liquor) a day.
• Get moving. Health benefits are gained by doing the following each week:
  • 2 hours and 30 minutes of moderate intensity aerobic physical activity
  or
  • 1 hour and 15 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity
  or
  • A combination of moderate and vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity
  and
  • Muscle-strengthening activities on 3 days
  
  Some suggestions for fitting physical activity in:
  • Take the stairs instead of the elevator
  • Take a brisk walk on your lunch break
  • Park at the far end of the parking lot and walk
  • Get off the bus or subway a few stops early and walk the rest of the way
  • Walk or bicycle whenever you can

Take care of your health with proper nutrtion and lifestyle modifications. If you are not sure how to make these changes you may need to seek an expert. If you are ready to begin your journey to a healthier you contact our office for your nutrition pre-screening consultation. The journey begins when you are ready.....