Counting your calories

Calories, your fuel for everyday. We always hear this word in the gym,  from a health conscious person or from commercials who promotes healthy products but, what can we do about this calorie thing? All we know is that we must burn (  referring to physical activity, exercise, etc) those calories so that it will not turn into fat and be stored in our belly. We should be aware how much calories our body need for a day in order for you to gain control on your diet. I my self for example, my body needs 2100 cal for a day, that's what all I need to survive a mile swim in an open sea!


According to New York Times, in the US there is now a health law that requires restaurants to put the caloric value of the food or  meal that they serve so that people will be aware of how many calories they get from Mc donalds, Burger king, starbucks, etc. This should be implemented in our country because this fastfood chains makes our waist line increase its size and because of this, we can't anymore use our favorite jeans. Do You get what I mean?? Obesity leads to diabetes and other Lifestyle diseases!

to read the full article click on the link, http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/24/business/24menu.html

Calorie Facts, just to be reminded:

Mc Donalds:

Mc Donald'sQuarter pound with cheese- 500 Calories

Mc Donald's Large fries- 400 calories

Cheese Burger- 295 calories

Double Cheese Burger- 421 calories

Burger Mc do- 249 calories

Source: http://www.weightlossforall.com/mcdonalds-calories-list.htm

Burger King:

Double Whopper with cheese- 990 calories

Large Fries- 500 calories

Source: http://nutrition.about.com/od/rateameal/a/whoppermeal.htm

KFC:

Hot and Crispy Chicken ( breast Part)- 460 calories

Original recipe chicken (breast part)- 380 calories

Zinger sandwich- 680 calories

Potato wedges small ( KFC fries)- 240 calories

Mashed potato with gravy- 120 calories

Source: http://www.newsandjava.com/KFC%20calorie%20chart.htm

Pizza huts:

1 slice of 12" super supreme, meat lovers pizza- 320 calories

1 slice of 12" pepperoni pizza- 250 calories

1 slice of chicken supreme pizza- 230 calories

source: http://calorielab.com/restaurants/pizza-hut/4

Shakeys:

http://www.thedailyplate.com/nutrition-calories/food/shakeys

See a Registered Nutritionist Dietitian to know your daily caloric requirements.

Diabetes in children

It's hard to think that children may suffer at a young age.Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus ( others call it juvenile diabetes) results when the pancreas of our body loses its ability to produce insulin which our body needs to absorb glucose (sugar) in our blood. Studies shows that the person's  immune system attacks and destroy the beta cells in the pancreas that primarily produces insulin. Although, until now, no one knows why this things happen, scientist thinks it is because of the genes or the person was exposed to viruses etc, to get a type 1 diabetes. Type 1 diabetes can't be prevented and you can't predict it when it will strike. When a person has type 1 diabetes, there is nothing he can do. It is a life time management of insulin injections to control their blood sugar levels.

Nick Jonas, a Walt Disney child star, had type 1 diabetes in 2005.



WE CAN FIGHT DIABETES. Early detection is important. If you see some symptoms like sudden weight loss, extreme thirst, irritability, frequently urinates, tires easily. Please, for the parents, don't hessitate to take your child to a doctor for a check up. remember, prevention is still better than cure.

Try to see your nape

Acanthosis nigricans, it's a sign for Insulin Resistance. some people with this signs has no idea that they are developing INSULIN RESISTANCE. AN results from high insulin levels in the body causing it to activate the insulin receptors in the skin, forcing it to grow abnormally. Usually AN is more seen in over weight or obese people. This can lead to Type 2 diabetes if not properly manage because the pancreas will work overtime and eventually tire out. Exercise and proper diet can help reduce the circulating insulin in the body. If left untreated, there is no turning back if you develop DIABETES.



Have a healthier lifestyle. Let your kids be active in sports! don't let there time be wasted in playing video games. engage them while their young. Prevention is still the best way....

no approve theraputic claim

Recently, The Department of Health issued an administrative order requiring food supplement manufacturers and distributor to translate " No approve therapeutic claims to Filipino Version, " Mahalagang paalala Ang (pangalan ng gamot) ay hindi dapat gamiting panggamot sa anumang uri ng sakit", so that Filipino people may easily understand that the supplements that they are taking are not to be considered as medicines.For me, the " no approve therapeutic claims" is very misleading to people who has difficulties in understand English. Patients with diabetes and other ailments shifts from their day to day maintenance drug to herbal supplements without any advice from his/her physician because it's more cheaper and the advertisement is very encouraging with the help or some actors/actresses who endorse the product. Our role as Diabetes Nurse educator, is to advise and educate people with diabetes about this problem. We explain to them and make them clear that herbal supplements is not a replacement for your maintenance drug. We don't discourage them not take herbal supplements, still they can but with advise of their physician.

Thumbs up for this administrative order and to DOH secretary Esperanza Cabral! Good Job!

6.0% = borderline

I was partly devastated this day. I had an opportunity to test my HbA1c levels for free because we had a chance to be trained on how to use the HbA1c machine, (DCA 2000 from Bayer). When the trainor said that I will have the test for free, I didn't hesitate because HbA1c test cost 800 pesos. After 6 minutes, the result came out, 6.0%.

Hemoglobin A1c is a test that measures the glycated hemoglobin in your blood. Glycated is a substance in red blood cells when blood sugar attaches to hemoglobin. ( source: Medline plus, http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/003640.htm)

The HbA1c test is currently one of the best way to check if diabetes is under control. It is taken every three months because normally our red blood cells lives only 8 to 12 weeks before they are replaced. By measuring your HbA1c levels, it can tell you how HIGH your blood sugar has been in the past three months. The normal levels of HbA1c is less than 6% forInstitute for Studies on Diabetes Foundation, Inc and 7% for  American Diabetes Association (http://www.diabetes.org/).

When I asked Dr. Melanie Duran, a Diabetologist about this matter, she said, I'm on a prediabetes stage. It is a wake up call for me to have an active lifestyle again. Exercise is still the best way to prevent diabetes. walking, jogging, cycling, mountain climbing, basketball, swimming, are the activities I usually do in the last few years. this year, sometimes playing basketball every Saturday, fast foods, late night or inadequate sleep, STRESS,  equals 6% HbA1c levels.

understanding Insulin Resistance

Insulin is a very important hormone in our body  produced by the pancreas to aid in the absorbtion of sugar in our blood. Insulin resistance is a condition in which the cells in our body become resistant to insulin and as a result, more insulin are needed from the pancreas in order for the insulin to take its effect in the absorption of glucose in our body.



This website will help you understand more about insulin resistance

http://www.diabetesmanagement.insulitelabs.com/

Vitamin D for Diabetes

Sunshine vitamin or more popular as Vitamin D. Studies shows that vitamin D is present in the insulin producing Beta cells of the pancreas, hence it was theorized that it has a direct effect on the production of insulin in our body. Diabetes is an auto- immune inflammatory disease which affects millions of people around the world. According to Julie Lichty Balay, MS, RD, a Nutritionist Dietitian on JLB Nutrition, Vitamin D, together with calcium, are both shown to reduce the inflammatory chemicals in our body called cytokines. Vitamin D may also help in activating the insulin receptors of our cells and can help in the regulation of glucose levels in the body.

Taking your daily maintenance drugs and lifestyle modification are still the best way to manage your diabetes.

refference:

http://www.diabetesselfmanagement.com/articles/nutrition-and-meal-planning/vitamin-d/2/

http://endo.endojournals.org/cgi/content/full/146/10/4189