Foods to take for a stable Sugar Levels Part 1

To keep blood sugar levels stable, regular exercise is helpful - but a healthy diet is a must. Add these foods to your diet, as they may help lower blood sugar levels.

1.    Green, leafy vegetables. Broccoli, spinach, and kale are good sources of fiber - which helps regulate blood sugar levels - and are high in vitamins A, C, and K as well. Plus, some studies have shown that eating vegetables can help prevent diabetes, so aim for four to five servings per day.

2.    Beans and legumes. Beans of almost any variety as well as lentils are rich in folic acid, magnesium, potassium and soluble fiber - and are low-glycemic-load foods. Make sure you get one to two servings per day.

3.    Cabbage. A very low-glycemic index food (near zero!), cabbage is high in fiber, low in calories, inexpensive and versatile. It's especially useful for stabilizing blood-sugar levels because it converts to sugar very slowly in the body. Try eating more slaw, sauerkraut or kimchi.

4.    Okra. This southern staple is high in soluble fiber - which slows down the digestion of carbohydrates and can help stabilize blood sugar - and is also a low glycemic-index food. Try adding it to your next pot of soup.

5.    Onions. This kitchen staple is more than a tasty addition to many dishes - onions offer blood-sugar lowering effects. 

High Protein Breakfast to Lower Risk of Developing Diabetes

The epidemic of diabetes in the U.S. has fueled an astounding rise in health costs. If you want to protect yourself from this scourge, researchers at the University of Missouri have identified the breakfast foods that lower your risk.

A high-protein breakfast containing, eggs, meat or fish helps control your blood sugar, reduces your insulin release and are factors that can reduce your chances of diabetes.

The Missouri research was carried out on women.

“For women, eating more protein in the morning can beneficially affect their glucose and insulin levels,” says researcher Heather Leidy. “If you eat healthy now and consume foods that help you control your glucose levels, you may be protecting yourself from developing diabetes in the future.”

Leidy’s tests compared the different effects of eating a breakfast of pancakes, with only about 10 grams of protein, to having eggs and sausage, which has up to 39 grams.

“Since most American women consume only about 10-15 grams of protein during breakfast, the 30-39 grams might seem like a challenging dietary change,” Leidy said. “However, one potential strategy to assist with this change might include the incorporation of prepared (high protein) convenience meals.

Green Coffee Bean Extract for Weight Loss

Can daily doses of green coffee bean extract help you shed pounds quickly and safely?

In a small study, 16 overweight young adults, who did not change their diet or exercise habits, were given varying doses of the supplement three times a day.

Over the course of a 22-week study period, they lost roughly10.5 percent of their body weight – an average of 17 pounds. And there were no harmful side effects.

“Based on our results, taking multiple capsules of green coffee extract a day – while eating a low-fat, healthful diet and exercising regularly – appears to be a safe, effective, inexpensive way to lose weight,” says study director Dr. Joe Vinson, a chemist at the University of Scranton.

Exercising for Fertility

I posted in my other website about the reason we need to Exercise. Now a new study found that exercise such as bicycling, walking, gardening and similar activities was associated with conceiving more quickly. So women, if you are trying to get pregnant, moderate exercise can help.

But intense exercise such as running or aerobics reduced fertility in normal-weight women.

“We were surprised to find that even relatively small amounts of vigorous activity seemed to impact fertility,” says researcher Lauren Wise, a professor at Boston University School of Public Health.

Natural Ways of Treating Depression

Pharmaceuticals are not the only answer for mild to moderate depression. In addition to following your doctor's recommendations and talking with a therapist, consider:

1.    Getting regular exercise. For rapid benefits in alleviating depression, there is no better method than regular aerobic exercise. I recommend 30 minutes of continuous physical activity, at least five days a week, for best results.

2.    Checking your meds. Make sure you are not taking any over-the-counter or prescription medications that may contribute to depression.

3.    Cutting out caffeine. Addiction to coffee and other forms of caffeine often interferes with normal moods and can aggravate depression.

4.    Trying acupuncture. This modality has proven itself to be very useful in treating several mood disorders, including depression.

5.    Meditating. This Eastern tradition requires long-term commitment and does not produce immediate results, but can help get to the root of depression.

In addition, follow a well-balanced diet; include an antioxidant multivitamin/mineral supplement to ensure you are meeting your nutritional needs for all the essential nutrients; and consider B vitamins - especially folic acid and vitamin B6 - and fish oil (try 1,000 - 2,000 mg per day), all of which can be helpful in supporting optimal mood