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Latest Nutrition Advice Articles
Diabetes Nutrition Advice Article Archives
December 2012
As the winter holidays approach, with their cold weather and abundant food temptations, Minnesota-based UnitedHealth Group is offering 10 simple tips people with diabetes and prediabetes should follow to help stay healthy.
0 comments - Posted Dec 13, 2012
April 2012
As an orthopedic surgeon, I have many patients with diabetes who tell me, "I can't have surgery because I won't heal." That is certainly not the case, however. Diabetes does affect the small blood vessels and the function of immune cells when blood sugar is high, but with proper nutrition and blood sugar management, people with diabetes are very safe to undergo knee replacements, abdominal surgery, and many elective procedures.
1 comment - Posted Apr 28, 2012
May 2011
"Nutrient Depletions" is a new smart phone app that allows users to see which of their prescription medications may be draining nutrients from their body. The app, available at iTunes stores for $1.99, works on Apple's iPhone, iTouch, and iPad products.
4 comments - Posted May 31, 2011
April 2011
France-based pharmaceutical manufacturer sanofi-aventis has announced the availability of several new media designed to help the company communicate with people who have diabetes.
• A blog, "Discuss Diabetes," offers health, nutrition, and lifestyle information, as well as a way to offer suggestions to the company. The blog is available at www.discussdiabetes.com.
0 comments - Posted Apr 6, 2011
March 2011
Weight loss can help people with type 2 diabetes control their blood sugar and avoid potential health risks associated with the disease. Did you know that losing even seven percent of your body weight can lower blood sugar, reduce blood pressure, and improve cholesterol levels1?
"Consider diabetes as a disease that has different phases--with the central feature a disorder of insulin production and insulin use," said Roberta Anding, MS, RD/LD,CSSD,CDE. Anding is a clinical dietitian and certified diabetes educator at Baylor College of Medicine, as well as a national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association. "To better control and lose weight safely with type 2 diabetes, it is important to consider the type and amount of food on your plate."
4 comments - Posted Mar 12, 2011
December 2010
For those trying to eat a healthy diet, whole-fat dairy and trans fats are usually not on the menu - at least, not yet. Scientists have narrowed in on a trans fat component found mainly in dairy fat that may ward off type 2 diabetes and protect cardiovascular health. While the research is far from conclusive and requires much further study, it suggests fats may play a more complex role in human health than previously thought.
2 comments - Posted Dec 24, 2010
An estimated two million Latinos in the United States have type 2 diabetes, a full 10 percent of the Latino population. Facebook, the fourth most popular Internet site among Latinos, reaches nearly 45 percent of the Latino population that goes online. Put those two facts together, and you have the audience for a new online game, HealthSeekerTM Explorando tu Salud, Paso a Paso ("Exploring Your Health, Step by Step").
0 comments - Posted Dec 2, 2010
October 2010
Weight Watchers International, Inc., the world's leading provider of weight management services, and Merck, a global healthcare leader, announced today an innovative collaboration focused on fighting obesity. The two companies will launch an initiative in which Merck will provide physicians and other health care providers with educational information about the Weight Watchers® program and its underlying clinical evidence to assist doctors in addressing the ongoing weight management needs of their patients.
0 comments - Posted Oct 21, 2010
September 2010
Do you ever wish you could leave your diabetes at home? Maybe you're at a holiday party, chit chatting with your buds gathered around the bar enjoying an adult beverage (or two), maybe grazing at the table of cookies, cakes and other tempting morsels. "Oh, I think I'll try one of those. Maybe one of those too. I didn't bring my diabetes with me, so I don't have to think about it tonight." Diabetes is not last year's outfit you can leave at home, or a bad relationship you can dump and move on. It is more like a tattoo. It goes everywhere with you.
0 comments - Posted Sep 24, 2010
August 2010
In the early days after my type 1 diabetes diagnosis, I sentenced a lot of foods to what I came to think of as my personal DO-NOT-EAT list, often with only slight provocation.
1 comment - Posted Aug 25, 2010
July 2010
A diet including coconut oil, a medium chain fatty acid (MCFA), helps combat insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is the inability of cells to respond to insulin and take in glucose for energy. The pancreas tries to compensate for insulin resistance by producing even more insulin, but eventually glucose accumulates in the bloodstream. Over time, insulin resistance and obesity can lead to pre-diabetes or full-blown type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2010
June 2010
There are so many weight loss programs out there, sometimes it is hard just to keep track of them, let alone choose one that will work. Add in the factor of diabetes, and the path to weight loss becomes harder to navigate and often contains land mines that we never even knew existed.
0 comments - Posted Jun 15, 2010
WASHINGTON - In collaboration with Blue Cross and Blue Shield companies, the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association (BCBSA) launched the Good Health ClubSM Physician Toolkit - unique educational materials designed to foster better communication between pediatricians and their patients on childhood obesity and diabetes prevention. The toolkit will be available to pediatricians in communities across the country.
0 comments - Posted Jun 11, 2010
Over the past few decades, some medical researchers have pointed the finger at meat consumption as a major factor in the development of heart disease and diabetes. However, a meta-analysis conducted by the Harvard School of Medical Health has concluded that it may be the salt and chemical preservatives used in processed meats that lead to health problems, not the meats themselves.
0 comments - Posted Jun 5, 2010
February 2010
For as long as I can remember, I have disliked meat. I believe it started with my sensitive gag reflex as a child. I could hardly chew and swallow pork chops, pineapple, or anything else that didn't go down easily. In high school I became best friends with a girl who didn't eat meat. It seemed like a really cool lifestyle, so I joined ranks with her. Instead of eating meat, we consumed french fries, fruit punch, and snack cakes. This became our definition of vegetarianism. Then, during my junior year of high school, my doctor informed me that my chronic low blood sugars might be improved by more protein consumption, so I forced myself back into the life of a carnivore, not knowing then that protein consumption didn't have to equal a slab of meat at every meal.
7 comments - Posted Feb 20, 2010
This is the third - and final - installment of our three-part series "Handing Down the Genes." Part III: "Nutrition and Exercise Tips"
1 comment - Posted Feb 19, 2010
This is the second installment of our three-part series "Handing Down the Genes." Part II: "Preventing Type 2 in Children"
1 comment - Posted Feb 13, 2010
This is the beginning of our three part series "Handing Down the Genes." Part I: "When to Worry-and When Not to-About Your Child's Increased Risk for Diabetes."
3 comments - Posted Feb 4, 2010
January 2010
I have a long-standing obsession with baking. The art of creating cookies, bars, pies, and cakes got me through some of the most stressful times in my life, including holidays, college final exams, and a new job. After I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at the age of twenty-four, however, I learned that my traditional ingredients, including white flour, sugar, and excessive amounts of chocolate, lead to high blood sugars and of course, fatigue, fogginess, and other undesirable side effects.
15 comments - Posted Jan 26, 2010
Although my boys love to order Chicken Parmesan when we dine out, the health content is always a concern - especially because it usually arrives thickly breaded, deeply fried, smothered in cheese, and served on a mountain of spaghetti. Here's a terrific and easy stove-top recipe that's filled with all of the same great flavors, but none of the excess fat and carbs.
0 comments - Posted Jan 20, 2010
Bestselling cookbook author and nutritionist Marlene Koch (pronounced, serendipitously, "cook") has been dubbed a "magician in the kitchen" when it comes to creating great-tasting, healthy recipes that everyone can enjoy, including those with diabetes!
1 comment - Posted Jan 20, 2010
December 2009
According to Marlene, finding the perfect mix of ingredients is key when creating healthier versions of your favorite foods. From composing a healthier sandwich to perfecting pasta dishes and creating delightful desserts, Marlene reveals some of her tastiest ingredient tips:
1 comment - Posted Dec 31, 2009
November 2009
Bridgewater, NJ, November 19, 2009 - Sanofi-aventis U.S. announced today that GoMealsTM, a new iPhone application (app) designed to help people living with diabetes make healthy food choices, is now available for download at the iTunes App store. GoMealsTM is a food tracking tool which allows users to search thousands of foods and dishes from popular restaurants and grocery stores to easily see the nutritional content of meals and snacks.
0 comments - Posted Nov 20, 2009
March 2009
A few years ago a young man named Jeff came into my office seeking help to lose weight. He was 5'10" tall and weighed 130 pounds. Jeff denied starving himself, denied making himself throw up, and denied over-exercising. I tried to convince him that he was actually 30 pounds underweight. As I looked for the most effective ways of motivating him to restore his health, he brought up the fact that he had type 1 diabetes. Jeff said that he rarely gave himself insulin and that he had "diabulimia." I had never heard of diabulimia and had no idea what I was dealing with. I gave him a list of clinicians and asked him to call me back after he made appointments with an endocrinologist and a psychotherapist.
15 comments - Posted Mar 3, 2009
January 2009
About half of young people who have diabetes report having tried to lose weight at one time or another, says a Kaiser Permanente Southern California study reported in the December 2008 issue of Diabetes Care.
4 comments - Posted Jan 6, 2009
December 2008
Many people think of heart disease as something that mostly afflicts men. But heart disease actually kills more women in the United States than anything else, according to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. And diabetes plays a stronger role in risk for heart disease in women than it does in men.
1 comment - Posted Dec 15, 2008
Sometimes happy holiday dreams and dazzling parties turn into nightmares of stressful schedules, impulse eating and battered blood glucose. Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah or the winter solstice, bountiful food and holiday stress can affect your festive mood and your health.
2 comments - Posted Dec 10, 2008
Are you ready to celebrate the holidays? How many festivities are on your calendar this season? It’s time to navigate the minefield of situations that can throw your diabetes off course and send a joyous occasion into the dumps.
0 comments - Posted Dec 10, 2008
Last week we published an excerpt from Chapter 4 of Sheri Colberg's revised, updated, and expanded version of her 2001 book, Diabetic Athlete's Handbook: Your Guide to Peak Performance. Dr. Colberg has a PhD in exercise physiology, is a Diabetes Health board member, and is herself an athlete with diabetes. Her book draws upon the experiences of hundreds of athletes with diabetes to provide the best advice for exercisers with diabetes, either type 1 or type 2.
0 comments - Posted Dec 2, 2008
November 2008
The ADA has a new book out, called What to Expect When You Have Diabetes: 170 Tips for Living Well With Diabetes.
1 comment - Posted Nov 10, 2008
October 2008
I have had type 1 diabetes for 16 years and, after a long path with many ups and downs, I have finally achieved optimal diabetic health. I have discovered the special lifestyle and diet mix that works and have brought my A1c from 11.4% to 5.2% while increasing my energy and overall health. I'm an elite athlete who plays professional ice hockey, and I currently run marathons.
19 comments - Posted Oct 27, 2008
September 2008
Many people know that it is beneficial to eat your morning meal, but it can be challenging for many reasons. Breakfast is not the meal to miss, especially when you feel stressed, since it can set the mood for the entire day. The truth is that what you eat for breakfast may be more important than if you eat breakfast at all.
6 comments - Posted Sep 22, 2008
August 2008
You know how important it is to control the sugar and carbohydrates in your diet. So you read food labels and listen to your body cues to make sure you’re getting what you need to stay healthy.
52 comments - Posted Aug 20, 2008
Do you want to lose weight and improve your blood glucose levels? Do you want to do it without having to weigh your portions and count your calories? Try a low-fat vegan diet. A vegan diet is one with no animal products: no fish, no eggs, no dairy, and, of course, no meat.
22 comments - Posted Aug 14, 2008
A recent story put out by the British Broadcasting Corporation proclaimed that eating broccoli could reverse the damage to heart blood vessels caused by diabetes.
2 comments - Posted Aug 14, 2008
July 2008
You’ve got type 2 diabetes. A few years ago, you started using a long-acting insulin once a day, and your fasting glucose levels and your A1c came down. But now your A1c is creeping back up. Your doctor tells you that you need to add a mealtime insulin to your plan.
2 comments - Posted Jul 31, 2008
WakeMed Health & Hospitals Children’s Diabetes ENERGIZE! program has won the coveted NOVA Award from the American Hospital Association (AHA).
0 comments - Posted Jul 17, 2008
Metformin, combined with dietary changes and exercise, seems to help obese pre-diabetic adolescents, especially girls, lose weight, says a report in the June 2008 Journal of Pediatrics.
8 comments - Posted Jul 10, 2008
Yes, they lacked indoor plumbing, permanent settlements and elevated manners when it came to eating, but our hunter-gatherer ancestors may have eaten a diet that can help modern people combat metabolic syndrome and even type 2 diabetes.
7 comments - Posted Jul 3, 2008
June 2008
Years ago, John Bantle, MD, gave brownies to people with diabetes. Brownies made with real sugar. And their blood glucose levels…did not skyrocket.
27 comments - Posted Jun 26, 2008
This year Carb Cards™ have added calorie and fat gram information to the 3rd edition of the carbohydrate counting flashcards. Twelve new cards with information on such foods as oatmeal, beans, and fish have been added to the revised 55-card deck to encourage healthier choices and more variety in meal planning.
1 comment - Posted Jun 26, 2008
Twenty-four diabetes doctors and researchers from the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Finland, Sweden and Portugal have published a study criticizing the American Diabetes Association (ADA) assertion that diabetics should consume no fewer than 130 mg of carbohydrates daily and the European Association for the Study of Diabetes (EASD) statement that low-carb diets are “not justified.”
28 comments - Posted Jun 26, 2008
When you have diabetes, you make the acquaintance of a lot of high-tech tools to help you manage it: monitors, meters and pumps. One very handy tool that sometimes gets overlooked is a digital scale for weighing and analyzing the nutritional content of food.
1 comment - Posted Jun 19, 2008
May 2008
Dear Diabetes Health,
I appreciated Jamie Bailes’ (April/May 2008) article on helping overweight kids. To me, it illustrated the complexity of weight regulation and the folly of linking it to one factor (fat).
2 comments - Posted May 30, 2008
April 2008
DiabetesAmerica, a network of diabetes care and management centers across Texas, is offering free online health and lifestyle classes to the public.
0 comments - Posted Apr 21, 2008
March 2008
One of the cartoons you recently published, where a character eats chocolate because his sugar is too low, gave the wrong message. Chocolate should not be used for treating hypoglycemia. There is too much fat in it for it to be effective.
10 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2008
February 2008
Recently, meal-replacement bars, powders and beverages have been touted as a popular way of providing nutritious options for today's busy lifestyles, as well as aids for weight loss and poor appetite.
0 comments - Posted Feb 5, 2008
September 2007
An Australian review of six short clinical trials has found that low glycemic diets (which involve eating foods that raise blood sugar slowly instead of quickly) cause about two pounds more weight loss than calorie-restricted diets.
3 comments - Posted Sep 4, 2007
May 2007
In the March 2007 issue of Diabetes Care, Swedish researchers examined the fasting plasma glucose levels and post-load (after being given glucose) sugar levels of 33,293 women and 31,304 men.
0 comments - Posted May 14, 2007
April 2007
Ah, the good life. Dining out, shopping for clothes, dining out, shopping for clothes, dining out, shopping…wait a minute. Is there a pattern here? Americans are eating out more and more, and leading researchers say that’s a big part of why so many of us are overweight. The biggest part of that big part? Big portions–Portion Distortion!
0 comments - Posted Apr 18, 2007
If you have to be fat, it’s a far, far better thing to be fat in places other than your belly. Visceral fat, the kind deep inside the abdomen that inextricably surrounds internal organs, is an organ in itself, secreting hormones and active molecules, called cytokines, which are bad for your health.
1 comment - Posted Apr 14, 2007
March 2007
When my seven-year-old son, Danny, was diagnosed with type 1diabetes, I had to take a serious look at his diet. He had always been our “picky” eater, and I had gone along with his demands to keep the peace. As a result, his favorite foods at the time of his diagnosis were pancakes with syrup, grilled cheese sandwiches, macaroni and cheese, cookies, juice, and the only vegetable he ate—cucumbers. These foods became the centerpiece of the meal plan constructed by the hospital nutritionist.
0 comments - Posted Mar 21, 2007
You can call it a sparkling beverage, but you can’t call it healthy: An analysis of 88 studies on the effects of regular (non-diet) soda pop, the best-selling item in grocery stores, has concluded that it’s not good for you. Soft drinks, sold to the tune of $11.7 billion a year, are associated with reduced milk and nutrient intake and with increased calorie consumption, body weight, and type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Mar 15, 2007
November 2006
The glycemic index of foods you eat could be the reason that one day you find your sugars out of control, but you’re shocked, because you haven’t strayed from your diabetes nutrition guidelines.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2006
August 2006
One of the common criticisms of the lower-carb lifestyle is that it doesn’t provide adequate nutrition. Is this really true?
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2006
June 2006
According to a survey conducted by the Whole Grains Council and a manufacturer of whole grain products, it was found that 68 percent of adults are unaware that they should consume at least three daily servings of whole grains. In addition, more than one-fifth of the public (22 percent) was unable to name any of the benefits of eating whole grains.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2006
Over the past five years, there has been a 40 percent increase in bacon consumption in the United States, due partly to the popularity of high-protein, low-carb diets. Many consumers believe bacon is high in protein, but regular pork bacon is high in fat with little protein.
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2006
February 2006
Valentine’s Day is the single biggest day for chocolate sales. Among the many kinds of chocolate now available for gift giving are sugar-free as well as dairy-free varieties. Today, sugar-free chocolates may also be labeled “lower carb.”
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2006
January 2006
Why not make 2006 the year you explore the many flavors and textures of foods made from the versatile soybean? Throughout the year, Diabetes Health will provide recipes for a variety of these tasty, nutritious foods.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2006
December 2005
Read any good food product labels lately? The information they offer can help you make improved food choices, if you know how to use it.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2005
Nutritional recommendations always seem to be changing. One year we’re advised to switch from butter to margarine. A year later, we learn that margarine is worse for us than butter.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2005
November 2005
Thanksgiving leftovers can be reheated and enjoyed in their original form, or you can create new healthy recipes by mixing foods with lots of vegetables.
1 comment - Posted Nov 1, 2005
Think of last year’s holiday season. What do you remember most about it?
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2005
October 2005
There are so many food products containing artificial and alternative sweeteners on the market today that they have become a topic of great interest among diabetic patients and health professionals.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2005
August 2005
Summer activities are in full swing with ball games in the park, family reunions and vacations. The warm weather draws us to the great outdoors for fun as well as mealtimes. Picnics, potlucks, sack lunches and travel meals are a part of our summer routine that can sometimes make blood glucose harder to manage.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 2005
July 2005
Last month, we focused on carbohydrates. This month, we talk about how to analyze the information on fats shown on the food label.
1 comment - Posted Jul 1, 2005
June 2005
Have you ever wondered how to count the carbohydrates on a food label? Does it really matter how many grams of sugar are in a food? Do “sugar free” and “calorie free” mean the same thing? Do you need to count the fiber in your breakfast cereal as carbohydrate?
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2005
If you love rumors and intrigue, enter the world of artificial sweeteners.
9 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2005
May 2005
Do you know if the last bagel or muffin you ate was a single serving or four portions disguised as one large serving? With supersizing being the norm, accurately estimating portions can be challenging.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 2005
April 2005
What’s so great about the glycemic index?
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2005
March 2005
Celebrating a holiday usually involves enjoying certain traditional foods. It’s not necessary to purchase special cookbooks for diabetes-friendly holiday recipes. Modifying your favorite recipes to improve their nutritional value can produce wonderful results as well as some surprises. Decreasing the carbohydrates, calories and fat in many recipes will result in dishes that are more nutrient-dense, which can lead to better health and increased longevity.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2005
A: Fiber can help stabilize your blood glucose. There are two major types of fiber: water soluble and insoluble. Foods high in soluble fiber in particular cause fewer rises in blood glucose after meals, because the fiber is digested slowly, delaying the absorption of carbohydrates.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2005
Before 1981, all patients diagnosed with diabetes were given dietary exchanges to follow when planning their meals or snacks. While exchanges were formulated for all food groups, the main focus for glycemic control was on carbohydrates. At the time these guidelines were established, focusing on portions seemed appropriate since the Nutrition Facts Label was not available.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2005
On January 12, 2005, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Agriculture (USDA) published their new Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2005
February 2005
Choose combinations of foods with carbohydrates for quick energy and choose protein foods for sustained energy. Plan healthy snacks for your daily menu.
3 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2005
Did you know that two out of three people with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke? For people with diabetes, the risk of heart attack or stroke is great. That’s why your healthcare team promotes good blood glucose, blood pressure and lipid control as key steps in prevention.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2005
January 2005
Many of the “lifestyle” magazines and television programs that you see from now until February are likely to feature New Year’s makeover diets. These diets will be promoted as “the one” sure to make you slim for life and to be easier to follow than all the rest.
0 comments - Posted Jan 1, 2005
November 2004
Q: I am a 54-year-old woman with diabetes, trying to lose a substantial amount of weight. I want to be healthier and want nutrition that will help my goal. I seem to be at a standstill. Can you give me some easy nutrition ideas?
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2004
October 2004
To enhance flavor: Add an additional teaspoon of vanilla extract per each cup of granular sugar substitute, such as Equal, NutraSweet, DiabetiSweet or Splenda. To achieve a better rise in baked goods using a low-calorie sweetener, switch from 9-inch to 8-inch round pans with 2-inch high sides. You can also try adding a half cup of dry milk powder and a half teaspoon of baking soda for every one cup of granular sugar substitute or low-calorie sweetener. When baking with yeast, maintain at least two teaspoons of sugar in a recipe for yeast activation. Baking time may be shorter with low-calorie sweetener. Check cookies three to five minutes sooner and cakes seven to 10 minutes sooner than called for by the original recipe.
0 comments - Posted Oct 1, 2004
September 2004
Safety first: Remember to check with your healthcare team before starting any new exercise program.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2004
July 2004
Not only are many people who want to lose weight jumping on the low-carb caravan, so are some people who have diabetes. Some wonder why, since the message seems to fly in the face of conventional wisdom. Diabetes and heart disease are so closely related. Can a lower-carb meal plan help improve the odds? We’re learning.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2004
Hot summer days, peaceful lakes, get-away adventures, time to reconnect and relax with family and friends.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2004
June 2004
“Are those new wraps at Subway good for me?” “If I make applesauce with Splenda, can I eat all I want?” “How do I count the carbohydrates in low-carb yogurt?” Do questions like these cross your mind every time you dine out, set foot in the supermarket or flip through a recipe book?
0 comments - Posted Jun 1, 2004
April 2004
Do you want your food purchases to be trans fat free in 2004? If so, you’d better get your passport ready and head to Denmark.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2004
March 2004
A low-calorie diet that includes almonds may have a “potential role” in fighting the obesity epidemic.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2004
February 2004
Suddenly it seems that sugar-free products are everywhere.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2004
Have you had type 2 diabetes for less than five years? Do you want to lose approximately 30 percent of your body weight?
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2004
April 2003
We have all heard great success stories about people who follow a diet low in carbohydrates. Many report weight loss, more energy and normal glucose levels. Maybe you are curious, but you're scared to try it. It goes against everything you've been taught about a healthy diet.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2003
"We don't use them anymore," said my certified diabetes educator when I asked for a copy of the exchange lists used for meal planning.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2003
We don't use them anymore," said my certified diabetes educator (CDE) when I asked for a copy of the exchange lists used for meal planning.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 2003
March 2003
Only since the early 1950s have medical doctors in the United States recognized that celiac disease (also called gluten enteropathy) requires a lifelong commitment to a gluten-free diet.
2 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2003
February 2003
In today's busy world, it's difficult enough for most of us to get a meal on the table at all—let alone follow a healthy meal plan every day.
2 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2003
Insulin-to-carbohydrate (I:C) ratios, which are used to calculate the insulin doses people with diabetes need for specific amounts of food containing carbohydrate, are an important part of any intensive diabetes management program.
5 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2003
Go ahead—have that peanut butter sandwich. Findings from the Harvard University Nurses' Health Study suggest that women who eat several servings of nuts or peanut butter a week can lower their risk of getting type 2 diabetes by as much as 27 percent. The Nurses' Health Study followed nearly 84,000 female nurses for 16 years beginning in 1980.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 2003
December 2002
A food ingredient long regarded as a "silent killer" may be brought to justice next spring.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2002
Trash the Wonder Bread and white rice and replace them with whole grains and brown rice if you want to reduce your risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Dec 1, 2002
November 2002
Do your favorite restaurants and fast-food eateries fit comfortably into your diabetes meal plan?
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2002
Most people associate sweetness with happiness, good times and good food. In fact, the average American goes so far as to consume an estimated 20 teaspoons of sugar each day.
1 comment - Posted Nov 1, 2002
The holiday season presents many challenges for people with diabetes. Because we tend to eat more (at office parties and family outings) and exercise less during these months, weight gain could typically be as much as five to 10 pounds.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2002
Do your favorite restaurants and fast-food eateries fit comfortably into your diabetes meal plan? Now they can!
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2002
Most people associate sweetness with happiness, good times and good food. In fact, the average American goes so far as to consume an estimated 20 teaspoons of sugar each day.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2002
Guilty pleasures are certainly in abundance between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day. However, if you are a person with diabetes, too much guilty pleasure may make your A1C resemble something less pleasant than a picture print by Currier and Ives.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 2002
July 2002
Many educational materials are available that can help a person who has diabetes make healthy food choices. Nutrition labels on various foods can be especially useful for preparing and analyzing a meal plan and choosing foods that are right for your individual needs.
0 comments - Posted Jul 1, 2002
March 2002
Carbohydrates seem to be in the news a lot these days. You either hear or read that if you want to lose weight, you shouldn't eat carbohydrates, or that if you want to control your blood-glucose levels, there are some specific carbohydrates you should not eat. The question, then, is to sort out what's important.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 2002
January 2002
Seniors with diabetes may need to make changes to their diet to remain healthy, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA). In addition, people may have more difficulty preparing food as they get older.
0 comments - Posted Jan 2, 2002
September 2001
The glycemic index (GI) may not be a leading economic indicator, but it is a leading diabetes indicator. Knowing whether the GI of a food is high or low can be a great aid in the quest for control.
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 2001
November 1999
Question: What are the “free foods,” foods that have no carbohydrates? From: Anonymous, Montana.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1999
Q: In the past, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommended that when a serving of food has 5 or more grams of fiber, people should subtract that number from the total grams of carbohydrates, because fiber is not broken down into glucose.
5 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1999
August 1999
For some years, we've heard that saturated fats are bad for us. Now, many people are pointing their fingers at trans fats.
0 comments - Posted Aug 1, 1999
April 1999
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) and other national health care groups are requesting that the United States government stress fruits and vegetables more strongly in its health care guidelines for Americans. They want the government to bring fruits and vegetables to the "core" of the American diet.
0 comments - Posted Apr 1, 1999
March 1998
Researchers Mary C. Gannon, PhD, et al. investigated the possibility of ingesting fructose with protein to stimulate insulin secretion in people with untreated type 2 diabetes.
0 comments - Posted Mar 1, 1998
February 1998
Evidence that moderate amounts of dietary fat intake is OK is popping up everywhere. Several studies indicate that severely restricting fat to lower cholesterol won't prevent heart disease caused by cholesterol any better than moderately cutting fat.
0 comments - Posted Feb 1, 1998
September 1995
In the last 20 years there has been a change in the kind of sugar food manufacturers use to sweeten their products. In the past, sucrose was king. Today, fructose, in the form of high fructose syrup (HFS), is much more common. This is touted as good news for people with diabetes, but is it?
0 comments - Posted Sep 1, 1995
September 1994
Q: Recently I read an article in Post Graduate Medicine ("Effective Insulin Use," Vol. 95, No. 8, June 1994, pgs. 52, 54, 58-60, 63-64, and 67). The article suggests the patient not eat if the blood glucose is greater than 150 mg/dl. I would appreciate you reading this article and giving me your opinion.
1 comment - Posted Sep 1, 1994
May 1994
A recent report from the University of Kuopio in Finland has found that fructose may be an acceptable alternative to sugar in the diet of people with diabetes who are liable to high after meal glucose concentrations (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, March 1994). In patients with mild non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus, fructose may contribute lower after meal glucose and insulin responses than most other carbohydrate sources.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1994
Researchers at the University of Sydney in New South Wales, Australia, are calling for a reassessment of the value of the glycemic index in the treatment of diabetes (American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, March 1994). They cite 11 medium to long-term studies that have specifically used the glycemic index (GI) approach to determine clinical gains in diabetes or lipid management. All but one study produced positive findings.
0 comments - Posted May 1, 1994
August 1993
December 1992
Did you know that the average American gains approximately 7 pounds between the Thanksgiving and New Year's holiday?
0 comments - Posted Dec 3, 1992
November 1992
Dr. Alan Marcus is a diabetes specialist who practices in Laguna Hills, California. He is also a medical advisor to MiniMed Technologies and a spokesperson for Novo Nordisk Insulin. Dr. Marcus also serves as Assistant Clinical Professor of Medicine for the USC School of Medicine.
0 comments - Posted Nov 1, 1992
