My Best Health — Page 480 — Personal Health Guide

Diabetes – Three Natural Ways to Prevent Control And Treat

February 28, 2010 by admin

Almost everyone knows someone with diabetes. From 1980 through 2004, less than one-quarter of a century, the total number of Americans with diabetes more than doubled! Estimates show that about six percent of the American population or about 18.2 million Americans suffer from this life-long illness. And about 6 million of those people haven’t been diagnosed yet.

The causes of diabetes are well known. Diabetes is a condition that occurs when the body has lost its ability to regulate the levels of glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream. This is usually due to some interruption in the production of insulin. Insulin is the hormone in our body that lowers blood sugar levels. Without the hormone in our body, our blood sugar levels increase to dangerously high levels. Since all the organs in our body rely on a steady supply of glucose so they can function properly, any disruption blood sugar levels can have dire consequences. Diabetes often leads to blindness, heart and blood vessel disease, stroke, kidney failure, amputations, and nerve damage.

There are two major types of diabetes – Type 1 which is often called juvenile diabetes and Type 2 which is often called adult diabetes or adult-onset diabetes. Although diabetes can strike at any age, Type 1 diabetes usually strikes children and young adults. In Type 1 diabetes, cells in the pancreas called beta cells, these are the ones that make insulin to control blood sugar levels in our body, do not function. So in order to maintain or manage blood sugar levels, people with Type 1 diabetes must inject insulin or have it delivered by a small pump into their body. In effect, they must supply the insulin that the beta cells in their pancreas are not supplying. Type 1 diabetes accounts for about five to ten percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is more common than Type 1. Type 2 diabetes generally affects adults. Type 2 adult diabetes usually begins as the body starts to resist the effects of insulin – sometimes called insulin resistance. The body just doesn’t use the insulin it makes effectively or efficiently. This inefficiency puts extra demands on the pancreas where insulin is made by the beta cells. Over time, the pancreas and beta cells can’t keep up and gradually begin to lose the ability to make insulin at all.

The American Diabetes Association estimates that nearly 6 million Americans are currently living with undiagnosed diabetes. The effects of an adult with diabetes may first appear as problems with their vision, nerves, kidney failure, heart attack, or stroke. It isn’t until these life threatening conditions occur that they realize they have been living with the chronic disease of diabetes. The symptoms of an adult with diabetes and the symptoms of a child with diabetes are recognizable: excessive thirst, craving for sweet foods, passing urine frequently, tiredness and weight loss. Although the onset of Adult Type 2 diabetes is gradual, the onset of Juvenile Type 1 diabetes is usually very rapid and sometimes life threatening when they first appear.

Why would anyone develop Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes? Can diabetes be passed down? The answer is maybe. Genetics and other family histories are being examined to determine whether Type 1 or Type 2 are hereditary, but the cause of Type 2 diabetes is more associated with lifestyle habits. Type 2 diabetes is often seen in people who don’t exercise, are obese, have a poor diet, and lead stress-filled lives.

Diabetes is ranked as the sixth leading cause of death in the United States but may be underestimated. The reason is that more than 60 percent of those with diabetes often die as a result of heart disease or stroke. And it is the heart disease or stroke that is listed as the cause of death. Because the causes of Type 2 diabetes are associated with lifestyle habits, there may be a NATURAL TREATMENT for Type 2 Adult Diabetes. There may be a natural treatment for the CONTROL of diabetes.

Here are three natural lifestyle habits to prevent, control, and treat diabetes.

1. Maintain a healthy weight. 90 percent of all people diagnosed with diabetes are overweight. According to the American Diabetes Association, even 5 to 10 percent reduction in body weight can result in a tremendous reduction in the risk or severity of diabetes. For most people, that’s only a loss of 10-20 pounds.

2. Exercise. Physical activity can lower your blood sugar (glucose) and help insulin work better for your body. That means your body is less susceptible to the development of diabetes. If you’re trying to lose weight as a natural way to prevent, control, or treat your diabetes, a combination of physical activity and wise food choice can help you reach your target.

3. Nutrition. Eating habits contribute significantly to the current increase in diabetes. Over the past 50 years, people have been eating more and more carbohydrates and sugar-filled foods. Eating a lot of carbohydrates each day puts stress on the pancreas which must work harder to maintain blood sugar levels. As the pancreas degrades, and you continue to eat the carbohydrates, you make yourself prone to Type 2 diabetes.

Maintaining a healthy weight, regular exercise, and proper nutrition are important. They are three natural lifestyle habits that you can do today to prevent, control and treat diabetes. Eating healthy and getting the proper nutrition means a balanced diet, drinking plenty of water and taking a nutritional supplement. Taking a nutritional supplement on a regular basis ensures you are getting all the vitamins and minerals your body needs, including your pancreas, to rebuild, regenerate, and operate at peak performance levels.

Ronald Godlewski has published several dozen articles on health, wellness, and the value of nutrition in disease prevention. Do you want to learn more about reducing your risk of diabetes? Join the discussion on the benefits of nutrition in disease prevention and learn how to receive your FREE quart of a nutrient dense supplement that may help reduce your risk of diabetes. Got a question? Call Ron toll free at 1-888-LFI-CUST (1-888-534-2878) to discuss your own feeling fit success story.

The Secret of Meditation

February 28, 2010 by admin

Do you want to become more spiritually enlightened; feel more connected to the people and things around you; or even relieve yourself of mental and physical stress? One of the top recommendations for all of the above aspirations is meditate. But what does this mean exactly? What is meditation? Images of some tranquil faced person, donned in relaxed attire, sitting in the lotus position is a commonly conjured impression when thinking of the idea of meditation. And while such an image may indeed be apt, it unfortunately does very little to actually convey an understanding about what meditation really is. Pictures may only hint at meditative techniques (or rather strategies which might make your mind more conducive towards meditation). And while a lot can be said for the benefits of any number of different meditative techniques, meditation is strictly an internal activity. Which means pictures have very little to offer as far as offering an explanation as to what takes place in meditation. Never confuse technique with intent; for though there may be numerous methods of meditation, the intent of meditation is always the same. Be present. Of all the many definitions of meditation (and yes there are plenty of them), the intent that underscores them all is actually one. Be present.

For example, let’s look at the following definitions of meditation:

Meditation means “consciously directing your attention to alter your state of consciousness.”

Question: What is this state of consciousness to be realized?

Answer: To be present.

“Meditation is a discipline in which one attempts to get beyond the conditioned, ‘thinking’ mind into a deeper state of relaxation or awareness.”

Question: What is this deeper state of relaxation and / or awareness?

Answer: Being present.

Meditation means “continuous thought and reflection” or “intent observance.”

Question: Continuous thought and reflection or intent observance to what end?

Answer: To being present.

Be present. Be present Be present. That truly is all there really is to meditation. Simply be present. But how does one go about being present? Now this I cannot really explain to you. I’m actually of the opinion that trying to teach someone how to meditate by telling them what to do is like trying to teach someone how to swallow or inhale by employing the same approach. Words are inadequate to the task. Being present is just one of those somethings that you will only understand by getting a natural feel for it. What’s more, it is only by recognizing the experience of what being present is that you grow in your ability to induce the meditative state at will. And even though words may be inadequate to the task of explaining how to be present, words are extremely valuable in describing what it is to be present.

Being present is just as natural a tendency as swallowing or inhaling. You fall into and out of this state of consciousness all the time while washing the dishes, drifting off to sleep, walking in the park, riding a roller coaster, using the bathroom… You do not need to be taught how to be present. You merely need to learn to recognize what being present is in order to become a proficient meditator. And to that end, consider this…

Think of a time in your experience when you felt wholly engrossed in the moment. When you felt completely engaged in whatever event was before you for no other motive than you loved just being. You didn’t care about how things were going, you weren’t trying to make anything happen, you had no agenda, you were worried about nothing, expecting nothing, regretting nothing, you weren’t dwelling wistfully over times gone by or trying to distract yourself from the experience of an unpleasant feeling. You were quite simply and unconditionally enraptured with the moment; emotionally engaged in what was going on before you yet mentally impartial about the outcome. You were just content to be.

Can you recall such a moment in your experience? True these moments may be fleeting, they often whisk by us unappreciated, but I assure you we do all experience these flashes. They occur everyday. The thing is to get in the habit of noticing of them, acknowledging them. These are the moments which show us what it is to be present. Meditation is about deliberately producing these moments. How do you do this? The answer may seem vague, but it’s the one that’s most proper. You just do it.

When you meditate you are making a conscious commitment to think in terms which will evoke the experience of being present. Again, I cannot tell you how to do this, but I can assure you that in your learning to recognize these moments as they involuntarily occur, you will instinctually become aware of what you need to do to voluntarily make these experiences occur.

There is definitely no shortage of ideas on meditative techniques “out there.” I say go ahead and experiment with them to your heart’s content. If you need to feel grounded in a process of focusing on your breath or on chanting or whatever have you, that’s quite okay. Ritual is a good way to get yourself in the mood for meditation. Ritual is good practice for meditation because practice is a precursor to actually living out a desired experience. But in all your experimentation with these different meditative techniques, might I suggest that you always remain mindful of the underlying intent of what meditation is. Always be mindful that the objective is to be present. Also, as you are going about your day, from this moment forward might I also suggest that you resolve to be diligent about consciously acknowledging those moments in your experience where you have unconsciously slipped into a period of being present. These acknowledgements will go a long way towards teaching you the secret to meditation. They will do more to this end than any amount of words could ever do. That’s what makes it such a good secret.

Evette Gardner is the author of the self realization / advaita ebook Divine Heritage. She currently resides in Boston, Massachusetts. You can read more of her articles on her web site and blog.