Aminoacids in Diet

What are aminoacids and why it is essential in diets? 

When we hear about all protein products and powders , they usually talk about the aminoacids in them  and the effect of aminoacids in food. For complete understanding about aminoacids I thought it is best to write a post separately detailing aminoacids facts in our diet. 

Next to water, proteins make up larget amount of body weight since they form muscles, organs, hair, hormones ,membranes, blood transport molecules, fingernails etc. So an adequate supply of protein in diet is a must for maintaining health and reproduction. 

These proteins in humanbody are macromolecules made up of Aminoacids. Human body has around 20 aminoacids which when linked in different combinations make different types of proteins all over the body.    The body, through assimilation of amino acids, produces over 50,000 proteins and over 15,000 enzymes

Example - Insulin hormone is composed of  totally 51 aminoacids. 

Source of aminoacids : 

Plants are in the lucky position that they are able to make all the amino acids they need for their protein needs from basic chemicals like carbon and nitrogen. Animals, on the other hand, can’t produce amino acids and are dependent on dietary sources for their supply. Humans can convert some of the amino acids they obtain from their diet to other amino acids in the liver. But they cannot produce all 20 aminoacids.

Essential and nonessential aminoacids:

There are 8 aminoacids which humans cannot produce and these must be supplied in food. These are called Essential aminoacids. The essential aminoaacid are phenylalanine,  valine, threonine, tryptophan, isoleucine, methionine, histidine, arginine (required for the young, but not for adults)  leucine and lysine. These can be remembered as  " PVT TIM HALL " using the first letters of these aminoacids.

The other aminoacids which human body can produce are called nonessential aminoacids. these are alanine, asparagine, aspartic acid, cysteine, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, proline, serine and tyrosine.

This term "non-essential" however is misleading since all amino acids are necessary for human body body to maintain its operating efficiency.  In addition, both non-essential amino acids and essential amino acids must be present in sufficient quantities and in the proper combination to maintain and build muscle. 

Dietary sources can provide both essential and non-essential aminoacids. So it is important that humans consume the complete  sources of protein and not the weak source of proteins alone. 

Fact about Protein needed to make body protein : 

The body, through assimilation of amino acids, produces over 50,000 proteins and over 15,000 enzymes. Amino acids are not only responsible for the production of all the body's enzymes (including digestive enzymes). After protein is consumed, it is broken down into amino acids. Then, individual amino acids are used to create necessary body proteins and enzymes. Digestive enzymes break down the proteins a person consumes into amino acids. In a person ,if there is trouble digesting food then that means there is less production of digestive enzymes. Less digestive enzymes results in poor nutrition because food cannot be absorbed in body without enzymes. So protein intake in food and the production of enzymes are having complex relationship.  In essence, one's body needs amino acids in order to get amino acids from food.

Did you know? 

Almost one half of the total protein in human body is mainly in four proteins. They are myosin, actin ,collagen and Haemoglobin. 

At the tissue level, proteins are continually being synthesized and degraded to maintain the amount of each enzyme and strucutre. The aminoacids unlike carbohydrates and fat gets stored when in excess. So if one persons daily intake of protein is not taken in food, the body tends to obtain the neccessary aminoacids for the formation of  body proteins from other sources ,for eg degrading the muscle cells. If this continues, the persons gets weekened everyday and overall health is spoiled and will lead to a risk for life. So it is improtant to get the protein balance from diet or as supplements. 

So in diseased state, in children , in old age people , pregnant women needs extra amount of protein to maintain the protein  balance in our body.  Refer the following table for amount needed in each stage of life. DRI TABLE

Make sure that you eat a balanced meal with protein from a high aminoacids source such as meat, chicken , fish and egg. For vegtarians legumes ,beans and nuts which are relateively weak source of aminoacids. Eating non vegetarian source of protein has it drawbacks as they contain fat and cholestrol along with good protein source. 

Having whey protein and Herbalife based protein, soy protein and whey protein solve this problem in an easy way. 

How much of nutrients needed for healthly life?

I gave the glimpse of calorie and nutrition in the earlier posts. Here I would like to give inputs on other basic nutrition informations,DRI, RDA and AI which is being recommended by nutrition boards all over the world.

DRI, RDA, AI :

Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs) comprise a set of reference values for specific nutrients, each category of which has special uses. The reference values, collectively called the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), include the Estimated Average Requirement (EAR), Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), Adequate Intake (AI), and Tolerable Upper Intake Level (UL)

RDA ( Recommended Daily allowance) :

It is the average daily dietary nutrient intake level sufficient to meet the nutrient requirement of nearly all (97 to 98 percent) healthy individuals in a particular life stage and gender group.

The RDA are based on scientific knowledge and have been presented by a committee of the Food and Nutrition Board (FNB) of the National Academy of Sciences (NAS). RDA is generally accepted throughout the world as a valid source of information.

Adequate Intake (AI):

The recommended average daily intake level based on observed or experimentally determined approximations or estimates of nutrient intake by a group (or groups) of apparently healthy people that are assumed to be adequate—used when an RDA cannot be determined.

The following Chart gives details for Recommended intakes for Major nutrients.

The general guideline is that approximately 57%, 30%, 13% of energy should come from Carbohydrates, Fats and Protein respectively.

what is Calorie?

Calorie:

A calorie (cal) is the amount of heat energy required to raise the 

temperature of 1g of water 1°C from 14° to 15°C. A kilocalorie (kcal) is the amount of heat required to raise the temperature of 1000g of water 1°C.

When broken down one gram of each carbohydrates ,protein and fat releases 4, 4, 9 kcal of energy respectively.

To calculate the energy available from a food, multiply the number of grams of carbohydrate, protein, and fat by 4,4, and 9, respectively. Then add the results together.

For example, 1 slice of bread with a tablespoon of peanut butter on it contains 16 grams carbohydrate, 7 grams protein, and 9 grams fat :

16g carbohydrate x 4 kcal/g = 64 kcal
7g protein x 4 kcal/g                 = 28 kcal
9g fat x 9kcal/g                           = 81 kcal
Total                                                = 173 kcal

From this information, we can calculate the percentage of kcalories each of the energy nutrients contributes to the total. To determine the percentage of kcalories from fat, for example, divide the 81 fat calories by the total of 173 kcalories:

81 ÷ 173 = 0.468 (rounded to 0.47)
Then multiply by 100 to get the percentage:
0.47 x 100 = 47%

(Reference: Understanding Nutrition 7th Edition by Eleanor Noss Whitney and Sharon Rady Rolfes )

The general guide line is that approximately 57%, 30%, 13% of energy should come from Carbohydrates, Fats and Protein respectively.

What is energy in foods?

Energy :

Our body needs a balance in energy. Energy balance in an individual depends on his or her dietary energy intake and energy expenditure. Imbalance in energy intake and expenditure results in gain or loss of body components resulting in changes in body weight. Excess energy cannot be eliminated, and is eventually deposited in the form of body fat which results in obesity.

Energy is calculated in Calories and calories are obtained from food. We calculate the energy (calories ) given by one food using the contents of the food.

The Estimated Energy Requirement (EER) is the average dietary energy intake that is predicted to maintain energy balance in a healthy, adult of a defined age, gender, weight, height, and level of physical activity consistent with good health.

So energy requirements vary by each individual and so average energy estimation helps to set a normal standard for people. Energy requirements also depends on each persons' Basal metabolic rate (BMR).

To calculate ones energy requirements we need to know Basal Energy Expenditure (BEE) ,Diet induced Energy Expenditure (DEE) and Activity-induced Energy Expenditure (AEE)
BEE refers to the metabolic activity necessary to sustain life (i.e., respiration, pulse, body temperature) or the energy needed in resting condition and can be estimated using the following equation:
Harris-Benedict equation:
BEE(kcal/day):Males = 66.5 + (13.7 X W) + (5.0 X H) - (6.8 X A)
Females = 655 + (9.6 X W ) + (1.7 X H) - (4.7 X A)
where:
W = usual or adjusted weight in kilograms
H = height in centimeters
A = age in years

Diet -induced Energy Expenditure includes energy costs of food absorption, metabolism and storage. DEE in individuals is relatively small and doesnot make important contirbution in energy balance.
Total energy Expenditure (TEE) = BEE + Activity-induced Energy Expenditure (Physical activity,PA )

Or the total energy expenditure is calculated by multiplying BEE with PA factor.

The physical activity factor varies between individuals depending on the duration and intensity of activities they perform. The PA factor vaires from 1.2 - 2.2 between individuals 18 and 64 year old healthy adults. On an average it is estimated the people having western life style ,regular ,relatively sedentary lifestyle have PA between 1.2-1.6 and that of elite athelets can be greater than 2.5

On an average the energy needed by individual is given below.
Men ~2300-2600 kcal
Women ~1900-2200 kcal
Pregnant +500 kcal

Lactating +600 kcal

Making good use of basic nutrition Information

We all know that we need energy to sustain the body’s various functions, including respiration, circulation, physical work, and maintenance of core body temperature.

And we also know that

- we get that energy from food which is broken down by various metabolic activities inside our body to release energy.
- Macronutrients include carbohydrate, fat and protein, micro nutrients are vitamins and minerals.
- Water is an essential nutrient, is needed to carry other nutrients throughout the body and 60% of our body is water.
- Too much of food gets stored as fat and leads to obesity and other diseases.

But we do get confused when it comes to eating right. We get questions like, how much of what I need to eat? How much is enough? Am I getting enough if I eat this? And how much calorie I need per day? What if I take too much calorie?

To answer all these questions we need to know the basic of nutrition. That is to know about energy, calorie, RDA ( recommended Daily allowance ) ,DRI (Dietary reference intake ), AI (Adequate intake) and BMI (body mass index)

In the next few blogs I want to put all the information together which is the key that will unlock the door to better diets and in turn better health and longer lives.

What is Fiber/Fibre?

As we reach a stage in life, where we get to take care of kids as a mother, we get lots of questions and only in that time we tend to learn more about food and show eagerness to know more about healthy nutrition. We do worry a lot about our kids and in our minds so many questions will arise. Does my child eat enough? Are they healthy? Lots and tons of questions like that every day.

I am in that stage now and all my friends and neighbors who is having the greatest task of all, mothering kids ask and share their questions and worries with me. The most of the problems they encounter with kids , is constipation. Many parents complaint about how much struggle the kids go through with constipation. Not only kids, many of the adults I know deal with the same problems.

Only when the constipation problem comes everyone tend to think about the solution. And only at that time they learn about the term Fiber. It is mainly because in our adult lives, we cannot seem to find enough ways to make fiber our part of nutrition.

Mostly everyone is having the idea , that the fiber is only a micro nutrient or it can be taken only when needed or occasionally. This is what I realized after watching all our senior people’s diet.
So I want to emphasize the facts about fiber here and bring the fascination over fiber, which should be in the top of everyone’s nutritional requirements list.

What is Fiber?

Dietary Fiber consists of nondigestible carbohydrates that are available only from plants.
These are resistant to human enzymes. So they pass into the human intestine relatively intact. So they cannot provide energy to the body. They provide very little calorific value.

What are the kinds of Fiber?

Fibers are of two kinds. Soluble and Insoluble.
Soluble – These kinds of fibers are soluble in water. They are found in structural material of cell wall of plant food. It adds bulk to stool and softens the stool. It is found in skins of various fruits, bran etc.
Insoluble – they are soluble in water and so bring the gummy or gel like nature to the food eaten. It is found in pulp of fruits, legumes greens etc.

Thus the major sources of dietary fiber are whole grains (unrefined grains like whole wheat, brown rice, oat bran), legumes, vegetables, fruits and nuts.

Why is dietary fiber so important?

Even if fiber brings no energy and less calorific value it is more important in any diet because it does a great deal of other good things and brings lots of physiological effects in the body. Lack of these fibers in the diet, can result in inadequate fecal bulk and may detract from optimal health.

Gastric emptying and satiety:

Consumption of soluble fibers expands the food taken and thus delays the gastric emptying process. This also delays the process of digestion and absorption of nutrients
once in the small intestines. So the extended stay of nutrients brings satiety and fullness.
So the dietary fibers are considered as an important component in weight loss diets. Thus soluble fibers and water together help in weigh control and maintenance.

Laxation:

Dietary fibers add bulk to stool and bring effective laxation in humans. This helps to prevent constipation, appendicitis and other intestinal problems by keeping the fecal bulk, moist and easy to eliminate.
Because of the greater bulk and speed of foods through the digestive tract, it is believed that harmful substances cancer causing agents ( carcinogens) are also swept out before they can cause problems .Less carcinogenic exposure to the colon may mean fewer colon polyps and less cancer, Thus fibers helps to prevent colon cancer and other types of cancers too.

Normalizing the blood cholesterol levels:

Soluble fiber lowers total and LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) therefore reducing the risk of heart disease. Consumption of fiber containg foods and supplements thus help to prevent Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) and Atherosclerosis.

Reducing blood sugar levels :

High-fiber diet may reduce insulin requirements and increase insulin resistance, improving blood sugar levels overall. Thus dietary fiber helps in treatment of diabetes and to prevent diabetes. The secondary benefits of a high-fiber diet for diabetes include its lower calorie (energy), fat and simple carbohydrate content, which may explain its beneficial effects in weight management.

So add fiber everyday, keep the doctors away.

What are nutrients?

Let see here about Major nutrients and Minor nutrients of nutrition and diet .

Major Nutrients :

Major nutrients are the one required in more amounts by body. Micronutrients are also of equal importance but are required in small amounts.
The three major nutrients available in food are

1. Carbohydrates
2. Proteins

3. Fat

Carbohydrates:

Carbohydrates break down into sugars (glucose) by liver and this sugar is used for energy for cells ,tissues and organs. Or it can also be stored in liver and muscles for future use.

carbohydrates are called simple and complex depending on how fast it is broken down to sugar. 

Complex carbohydrates (good Carbs) are starch and dietary fibers (whole grain breads and brown rice). They provide minerals fiber and vitamins. But processed rice and polished grains lack these essential nutrients. 

Simple carbohydrates are from fruits, table sugar and milk products .The products with refined sugar and added sugar (added while processing and refining ) are not natural and provide less nutrition.

Proteins:

Our body’s cells and tissues and organs have proteins in them. These proteins are constantly being broken down into and replaced. To replace these, our body needs proteins from diet. The dietary proteins are broken down into amino acids and then these amino acids are manufactured into the proteins desired for the organs and cells.

All proteins are made up of amino acids. There are 20 different amino acids which from human body. Our body cannot make all these 20 amino acids. So they need to be provided to the body through diet. Among the 20 amino acids 9 amino acids are called essential amino acids. Though all amino acids are important these 9 amino acids are called essential in the sense that the are not available from non vegetarian food. Fortunately these are available in soy protein.
The dietary proteins is obtained from egg, fish, meats, nuts, seeds, legumes, beans and milk products. Vegetarians need more planning to meet the dietary intake of proteins. Foodstuffs that lack of essential amino acids are poor sources of protein equivalents, as the body tends to converting proteins into fats and carbohydrates. Therefore, a balance of essential amino acids is necessary for a high degree of net protein utilisation by body.

Fats:

Fats have two sides.Good side and bad side.

Good side of fats is that they play improtant role in skin and hair.Fat is needed to carry and to absorb some vitamins into our body.Fat stores serves as engery reserves of our body. Fat breaks down into glycerol which again is broken down into glucose and gives energy.

But the bad side of fats is that toomuch intake of fats results in increase in blood cholesterol, heart attack, weight gain and obesity.
Thus the fats are listed as good and bad fats.

The good fats are unsaturated fatty acids.( poly and mono) Vegetable oils – such as corn, soybean and sunflower oils – as well as fish oils, are rich in polyunsaturated fat. Olive, peanut and canola oils are rich in monounsaturated fat. These are liquid at room temperature. The bad fats are saturated fats, such as butter, ghee, shortening, lard and animal fat(beef,pork,whole milk,cheese,sour cream ,yogurt) ,coconut oil and palm oil which are solid at room temperature.

Micronutrients:

Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals needed by body in minute amounts. Only these substances play leading roles in the production of enzymes, hormones and other substances.They help to maintain strength, immunity, and mental sharpness and to bear healthy children. They have major role in life saving role in major developing countries. One third of total population worldwide is affected by micronutrient deficiencies. The most common deficiencies are due to lack of iron (anemia), vitamin A (exophthalmia) and iodine (goiter and cretinism).

Vitamins :
Vitamins are needed to keep our body healthy. Most vitamins are made by plants. We get vitamins by eating plants and animal products.

Minerals:
Minerals are used for building bones and teeth. They give energy to work, learn and play. Minerals are found in eggs, milk products, seafood, leaves and seeds of planets and in organ meat such as liver, kidneys and hearts of animals.

Due to manufacturing process and refining and polishing process in grains, the minerals and vitamins in foods are mostly lost. And after cooking or baking again the micronutrients gets depleted. That is the reason these days the micronutrient deficiency is increasing. In olden days our grandparents were able to live in a cleaner healthier and greener environment. They had easy access to fresh vegetables and fruits and medicinal herbs. But in this mordern world we use mostly canned ,tinned, packed, foods which are all dead foods. So having fortified (equipped with vitamins) foods and nutrient supplements are important to get the balance in the body.

What is relation between nutrition and killer diseases?

What is Nutrition and what is a proper diet?

In all the previous posts I talked about the killer diseases and as a remedy for each diseases it is said that proper diet and physical activity is important. But what is proper diet? Everyone talks about proper diet and nutrition. But if we know the basics of this so called “nutrition” then wont it be easy to understand the word “Diet”? But nutrition is a vast subject and it can never be written in few paragraphs. So I decided to compile few and highlight the importance of nutrition in this blog.

We all have heard the old tamil sayings about nutrition here. That is “உணவே மருந்து” , அளவுக்கு மீறினால் அமுதமும் நஞ்சு” That is to say that "Food is medicine for all diseases and food can prevent any diseases too". Also "Nutrition is food but all foods are not nutrition" and if the food intake is excess or deficient in some nutrients then definitely it will bring troubles.

Good Nutrition is vital for health , disease prevention and is important for growth and development for small children and adults. Good nutrition is important to maintain our health. It is like fuel for cars. Without the fuel, cars can never run. Similarly without good nutrition our body cannot function well.So just like gasoline gives energy for car to run ,good nutriton gives energy for our body to run. This energy is measured in kilocalories or calories.

The nutrional requirements for each person varies depending upon age, sex, body height , body weight ,status of work and rate of growth. But average requirements for each nutrient for a person based on calorie is fixed by scientific community.

What is in food?

According to our body, the food is composed of many nutrients. Some nutrients are used for energy ( carbohydrates and fats) some are mainly for building materials ( proteins and minerals) and some other are for using or making the energy by process called metabolism and managing the chemical reactions in the body ( vitamins and fatty acids). Each body functions requires some energy to perform the actions and it is provided in calories by these nutrients. Thus the energy intake of food is burned off for bodily functions.

To operate at its best, the body needs these nutrients in the right amounts. So whether it is carbohydrate or protein or fat anything taken in excess than required and if not burned they get stored for later use. This will lead to weight gain and all health problems. Also if the food is deficient in some nutirents then the dysfuncitoning of body will occur. That is too much or too little can—and often does—result in the body dysfunctioning. That's what we know as disease. there are many numbers of researches done to support this relation of diet and killer diseases by scietific community.

How to reduce the risk with high blood cholesterol?

The following steps can be taken to keep your cholesterol low and reduce your risk for atherosclerosis (a heart disease,which is costly and fatal )

- Follow a diet lower in saturated fat and cholesterol

- Be physically active

- Maintain a healthy weight

- Not smoke
-In extreme conditions medications are prescribed

Diet : The fat intake from food matters very much in lowering cholesterol. As there is good cholesterol and bad cholesterol there is good and bad fat. The intake of good fat and reduction of bad fat is what really matters when comes to heart disease. The good fats, mono and poly unsaturated fats really help lower the risk. The bad fats, saturated and trans fats increases the risk. The key is to substitute good fats for bad fats. The Recommended daily Allowance for cholesterol is 300 mg per day based on a 2000 calorie diet. So care is needed to limit cholesterol intake on daily basis.

The easiest and best way is to start herba life products. Herbalife has no cholesterol, low carbohydrate, no transfat and low salt. It is rich in protein and full of essential nutrients and fiber. Also Herbalife is the only foods, which provides enzymes, and ginger and other nutrients that facilitate assimilation of the nutrients in to our body effectively .So that way herbalife is the ideal food to reduce risk for heart diseases.

Excercise:

Excercise itself doesnt " burnoff " cholesterol like it can with fat tissue. However, when it is labor intensive(1500kcal or more per week), excericse can increase metabolism and help in conversion of some form of cholesterol ot HDL,the good cholesterol. With regular excercise aproximately 30 minutes a day for 7 days a week, the LDL cholesterol can be reduced by 10 percent.
Thus life style can affect the Blood pressure, blood Cholesterol and blood glucose level. So a change in lifestyle is pretty much needed.

All about cholesterol

Heart disease is the number one killer of both men and women in most countries. More than 90 million American adults, or about 50 percent, have elevated blood cholesterol levels, one of the key risk factors for heart disease, according to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute's National Cholesterol Education Program. If othr risk factors including poor eating, cigarette smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, and physical inactivity are present in addition to high blood cholesterol, the risk of heart disease is even greater.

What is cholesterol?

Cholesterol is a soft, waxy substance found among the lipids (fats) in the bloodstream and in all your body's cells. It's an important part of a healthy body because it's used to form cell membranes, some hormones and is needed for other functions. But a high level of cholesterol in the blood — hypercholesterolemia — is a major risk factor for coronary heart disease, which leads to heart attack.

What are the types of cholesterol?

Cholesterol and other fats can't dissolve in the blood. They have to be transported to and from the cells by special carriers called lipoproteins. There are several kinds, but the ones to focus on are low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and high-density lipoprotein (HDL). Based on this the cholesterol is of two types.
LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol

What is LDL cholesterol?
LDL cholesterol is called "bad" cholesterol. LDL lipoprotein deposits cholesterol on the artery walls, causing the formation of a hard, thick substance called cholesterol plaque. Over time, cholesterol plaque causes thickening of the artery walls and narrowing of the arteries, a process called atherosclerosis. So high level of LDL cholesterol causes coronary heart disease.

What is HDL cholesterol?
HDL cholesterol is called the "good cholesterol" because HDL cholesterol particles prevent atherosclerosis by extracting cholesterol from the artery walls and disposing of them through the liver.
Total cholesterol is the sum of LDL (low density) cholesterol, HDL (high density) cholesterol, VLDL (very low density) cholesterol, and IDL (intermediate density) cholesterol.

What are the sources of cholesterol in blood?

Dietary intake – animal ,diary products, fat
Liver production - Liver produces the necessary cholesterol needed for the body. As such it is not necessary to get additional cholesterol from food.

What are the desired levels of the cholesterol in blood?

For adults age 20 years or over, the latest guidelines from the National Cholesterol Education Program recommend the following optimal levels:

Total cholesterol levels less than 200 mg/dl
HDL cholesterol levels greater than 40 mg/dl
LDL cholesterol levels less than 130 mg/dl
What is Ratio of cholesterol?

The ratio of HDL to LDL and total cholesterol, is actually more important then total cholesterol in predicting heart attack, heart disease, stroke, arteriosclerosis, coronary heart disease, coronary artery disease and other cardiovascular diseases.
The Desired ratios are

Total cholesterol / HDL less than 4.2

LDL/HDL should be less than 2.5

Above this range is very risky.

What are the factors affecting this cholesterol level?
A variety of things can affect cholesterol levels. These are things you can do something about:

• Diet - Dietary cholesterol comes mainly from meat, poultry, fish, and dairy products. Organ meats, such as liver, are especially high in cholesterol content, while foods of plant origin contain no cholesterol. So having food high in cholesterol increases blood cholesterol level


• Weight - Being overweight is a risk factor for heart disease. It also tends to increase the cholesterol. Losing weight can help lower LDL and total cholesterol levels, as well as raise HDL ,good cholesterol
• Physical inactivity
• Smoking and alcohol
• Diabetes
  
• Things you cannot do anything about also can affect cholesterol levels. These include:


• Age and Gender-As women and men get older, their cholesterol levels rise. Before the age of menopause, women have lower total cholesterol levels than men of the same age. After the age of menopause, women's LDL levels tend to rise.
• Heredity - Genes partly determine how much cholesterol the body makes. High blood cholesterol can run in families.

What is the treatment for Diabetes?

How is diabetes treated?

Type 1:
Today, healthy eating, physical activity, and taking insulin are the basic therapies for type 1 diabetes. The amount of insulin must be balanced with food intake and daily activities. Type 2:
People who have Type 2 diabetes are often able to treat their diabetes with dietary changes and a weight-control program, if needed. This consists of balancing a healthy combination of foods and exercise.
Food:

Proper nutrition is a very important part of staying healthy—for everyone—and especially for a person with Type 2 diabetes. Since food affects how much glucose is in the blood, people with Type 2 diabetes must pay careful attention to the food they eat, how much they eat, and when they eat it. In particular, since carbohydrates are the body's main source of glucose, many people with diabetes estimate the amount of carbohydrates in each meal. Food rich in Fiber, low salt, low carbohydrate diets are mainly recommended for the patients.

The easiest and best way is to start herba life products. Herbalife has no cholesterol, low carbohydrate, no transfat and low salt. It is rich in protein and full of essential nutrients and fiber. Also Herbalife is the only foods, which provides enzymes, and ginger and other nutrients that facilitate assimilation of the nutrients in to our body effectively .So that way herbalife is the ideal food for diabetic patients.

Exercise:

Just like healthy eating, exercise is something that is important for everyone and especially for people with Type 2 diabetes. Exercise helps insulin work better to control the level of glucose in the blood. Exercise also helps keep people with diabetes at the right weight, and it helps maintain a healthy heart and blood vessels. By Healthy nutrition and physical activity and use of medications (if needed) By doing so they can lower the risks. In addition, many people with type 2 diabetes require oral medication, insulin, or both to control their blood glucose levels.

The other management measures needed are

• Stop smoking and alcohol
• Stress management Maintain Blood pressure (goal <> 45 men, > 55 women)
• Maintain Blood glucose (goal 80-120 before meal, 100-140 bedtime )

The life style can affect the Blood pressure, blood Cholesterol and blood glucose level. So a change in lifestyle is pretty much needed.

All about Diabetes

Almost everyone knows someone who has diabetes. Almost 7% of the population in US have diabetes, a serious, lifelong condition. In 2005, about 1.5 million people aged 20 or older were diagnosed with diabetes. Most of these cases are a direct result of poor eating habits, higher body weight, and lack of exercise.

What is diabetes?

Diabetes is a disorder of metabolism—caused by lack of insulin or insulin resistance. Most of the food we eat is broken down into glucose, simple sugar in the blood. Glucose is the main source of fuel for the body.
After digestion, glucose passes into the bloodstream, where it is used by cells for growth and energy. For glucose to get into cells, insulin must be present. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas, a large gland behind the stomach. When we eat, the pancreas automatically produces the right amount of insulin to move glucose from blood into our cells.

In people with diabetes, however, the pancreas either produces little or no insulin, or the cells do not respond appropriately to the insulin that is produced. Glucose builds up in the blood, overflows into the urine, and passes out of the body in the urine. Thus, the body loses its main source of fuel even though the blood contains large amounts of glucose.

What are Types of Diabetes?

Type 1 - insulin dependent diabetes, where there is a lack of insulin production by the pancreas and needs treatment by insulin injections to stay alive. It is an autoimmune disease most often occurs in children and young adults.

Type 2 – diabetes, where the body is still producing insulin but either not enough and or the body is resistant to it. It is more common than type 1 diabetes.

Gestational –diabetes is caused by the hormones of pregnancy or a shortage of insulin. Women with gestational diabetes may not experience any symptoms.

Who Is At Greater Risk Diabetes?

Type 1:

Siblings of people with type 1 diabetes.
Children of parents with type 1 diabetes.

Type 2:

People with a family history of diabetes.
People who are overweight.
People who do not exercise regularly.
Women who have had a baby that weighed more than 9 pounds at birth.

Of these factors the most significant factor is Obesity. There is a direct relationship between the degree of obesity and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, and this holds true in children as well as adults. It is estimated that the chance to develop diabetes doubles for every 20% increase over desirable body weight.

What are the risks associated with Diabetes?

Diabetes is associated with long-term complications that affect almost every part of the body. Because a person with diabetes may not process fat properly, there tends to be damage to the blood vessels in the body, which increases the chances for high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes. Diabetes can also have long-term effects on the eyes, because tiny blood vessels in the retina* become weakened. If these blood vessels burst, they can cause bleeding and scarring in the eye, or even blindness. The chance of nerve damage, and of developing kidney disease, is also increased in a person with diabetes. Finally, foot health can become an issue for people with diabetes, because the condition can affect circulation to the feet, small cuts or wounds can turn into serious infections without proper care. Adults with diabetes are at high risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). In fact, at least 65 percent of those with diabetes die from heart disease or stroke.

People with diabetes must take responsibility for their day-to-day care. Much of the daily care involves keeping blood glucose levels from going too low or too high. When blood glucose levels drop too low—a condition known as hypoglycemia—a person can become nervous, shaky, and confused. Judgment can be impaired, and if blood glucose falls too low, fainting can occur. A person can also become ill if blood glucose levels rise too high, a condition known as hyperglycemia.

How is obesity treated?

How is Obesity treated?

Losing weight is simple, not to say that it is necessarily easy. Proper nutrition can cure all diseases and can prevent diseases too.But all Nutrition is food and not all food is nutritious. This simple concept is very much important while loosing weight.The food can be compared to a fuel for functioning of car. Any excess fuel poured in the fuel tank of the car gets wasted in the car. ( a 5 lr fuel tank never can hold 1000 lr fuel) . But in our body the excess food (fuel) gets stored as fat for future use. It is definately not needed to store it if we continue to give the food regularly needed by the body.The storage capacity is just the nature of our body, to prevent us from drought or starvation conditions which existed in the old days. But now a days food is abundant and it is the cause for obesity in delveloping countries. It is definately much harder to carry this stored fat and our body needs more fuel just to perform this storage function by the body. so we put more strain to the body by eating excess.
So Proper planned nutrition and diet plays major role in effective weight loss.

· Life style change
The first step in weight loss is to achieve a reasonable goal, which is to begin making lifestyle changes by increasing physical activity and limiting calories. A reduction of 6-10 lbs can significantly decrease the cardiovascular health risks of overweight or obese people.
Loosing 10% of the weight at a rate of 1-2 lbs per week improves health and sets a good starting in the journey of weight loss.

· Food

Proper diet and nutrition is a very important part of staying healthy—for everyone—and especially for a obese/overweight person. By decreasing daily calorie intake by 500 calories calories you will lose about 1 pound per week. Approximately if the target weight (Normal weight range of BMI) is say 110 lbs then the calorie intake per day should be aimed to 1100 per day with nutritious foods and healthy foods.
The healthy foods include good carbohydrates (complex carbohydrates), proteins, vegetables, fruits, minerals, fiber and good fats. Each body needs 1-2 grams of protein per kg body weight. By reaching the daily allowance of protein each each day, the metabolism can be increased and that can help to burn the stored fat. Consumption of excess carbohydrates and fats can result in storage of fats and
not burning of fats. So care should be taken in consuming carbohydrates and fats.
The easiest and best way is to start herba life products. Herbalife shakes has no cholesterol, low carbohydrate, no transfat and low salt. It is rich in protein and full of essential nutrients and fiber. Also Herbalife is the only food, which provides enzymes, and ginger and other nutrients that facilitate assimilation of the nutrients in to our body effectively .That makes herbalife the ideal food for every nutritional need and for effective weight loss.

Exercise:

Another factor helping weight loss includes exercise. It helps to increase metabolism and is one less opportunity to eat during the day. You should exercise for at least 30 minutes, 5 times a week. Regular exercise helps to burn calories. But even if lot of calories are burned by exercise, if the calorie intake by consuming foods are more, then weight loss will not be effective.

All About Obesity

What is Overweight and Obesity and why is it a Problem?

Overweight is defined as a body mass index (BMI; kg/m2) greater than 25 and obese as a BMI of 30 or greater. Most individuals with a BMI over 25 are entering into the zone of increased health risk.
Obesity leads to chronic diseases. A poor nutritional choice raise our risks for obesity and with it comes obesity related metabolic diseases such as heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, hypertension, gallbladder disease, osteoarthritis, sleep apnea and respiratory problems, and endometrial, breast, prostate, and colon cancers. It’s not just adults who are overweight; many of our kids are overweight too.

Why are we getting obesity?

The causes of obesity in today’s lives are Genetic basis, over abundance of food, and our technological society with its emphasis on labor saving devices, efficiency and time saving. We are less active in our everyday lives; it is not just that we are not exercising, but that the incidental activity of everyday life has been reduced or eliminated by technological advances. We don't walk as much, or as far, and we don't expend as much energy operating machinery or manual. Consequently, it has proved very difficult for many people to control their weight in the second half of the 20th century.

Other Causes of Obesity
Some illnesses may lead to or are associated with weight gain or obesity. These include:
Hypothyroidism, a condition in which the thyroid gland fails to produce enough thyroid hormone. It often results in lowered metabolic rate and loss of vigor.
Cushing's syndrome, a hormonal disorder caused by prolonged exposure of the body's tissues to high levels of the hormone cortisol. Symptoms vary, but most people have upper body obesity, rounded face, increased fat around the neck, and thinning arms and legs.
Polycystic ovary syndrome, a condition characterized by high levels of androgens (male hormone), irregular or missed menstrual cycles, and in some cases, multiple small cysts in the ovaries. Cysts are fluid-filled sacs

Why have we not been effective in treatment of obesity?

There are a number of reasons for this. Obesity, its etiology and effects, the biology of adipose tissue (which is fat storage organ) and goals of treatment have been poorly understood. Nutrition has not been considered an important part of the medical curriculum. No long-term effective medical treatments have been available.

Despite the lack of real assistance from the medical profession, the obese have been stigmatized. Obese patients have become disheartened after their attempts at weight loss. They have turned to other treatments and therapists, mostly without success. The vast majority of these treatments, some costly, are ineffective. Patients are still looking for the magic, which will enable them to lose weight without effort and then to keep it off.

What should we do about obesity?

Two major options for obesity are being discussed now everywhere. One says that weight loss and control must remain an individual responsibility, whereas the other one argues that in some individuals morbid obesity is inevitable because of their genes, inherent appetite drives and metabolic set points, and that they will inevitably need help to control weight. The life style can affect the Blood pressure, blood Cholesterol ,blood glucose level and fat content. So a change in lifestyle is pretty much needed.

When lifestyle changes are not enough, an appropriate treatment is needed. The goals of such treatment should not necessarily be to normalize body weight, but to optimize health. A reduction of 6-10 kg can significantly decrease the cardiovascular health risks of overweight or obese people.