Tips to help you cope with PMS

Feeling irritated with no specific reason, tired and drained out just after a good night’s sleep, battling bloated belly – these are just the signs that appear as you near the time of your monthly cycle. 

Premenstrual syndrome, or just PMS, is a range of varying symptoms related to a woman’s menstrual cycle. The symptoms include bloating, clumsiness, constipation, diarrhoea  food cravings, headache, breast tenderness etc. The severity of the syndrome varies from woman to woman.

Month after month dealing with the symptoms can be tough. Change the way you eat and incorporate the right kind of vitamins and minerals into your regular diet and see how it works wonders. Here are a few tips that can help ease the symptoms:

i) Do not skip meals. Doing so will only aggravate the symptoms. Skipping meals leads to a drop in blood sugar levels which can in turn alleviate sudden cravings for not so healthy food. Thus skipping meals or indulging in unhealthy eating can result in bloating, which eventually ends up worsening the situation. Try feeding your tummy in smaller portions at regular intervals. 

ii) Having Vitamin B rich food works wonders to ease the symptoms. Eating food like nuts, banana, yoghurt, eggs and adding whole grains and beans to your regular diet can reduce the severity of PMS symptoms like bloating, cravings, tiredness, and mood swings.

iii) Potassium is another mineral that has a significant effect on PMS mood swings. Include fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet or just have a glass of fresh orange juice and see the difference. 

iv) Include calcium and Vitamin D in your diet. A glass of milk, which is a good source of calcium and Vitamin D, can help control your irritable mood swings during PMS. People suffering from lactose intolerance can opt for foods like asparagus, broccoli, some beet greens, or any other calcium-rich veggies.


v) Check out for fat consumption. PMS symptoms can start as early as one or even two weeks before the start of the menstrual cycle and having too much fat content in your food can cause further discomfort. 

vi) Keep yourself hydrated. The body tends to lose a lot of water in the form of sweat and urine; having enough water and eating food that have a high water content can help reduce PMS symptoms. 

Seven tips to get rid of constipation

Constipation is a common cause of painful defecation and can even escalate to menacing heights if not taken seriously.

So,we bring before you simple tips to get rid of this irritating and painful condition:

Drink more water

Drink at least 3 litres of water every day.This is the most common tip,highly recommended and always effective.Still we don’t give heed to it and look for other solutions.But this time,take it seriously and ensure that your body gets enough water.Avoid having tap water as it is full of additives which is not good for your digestive system.Go for mineral water if you can.

Eat More fibre

Most of the doctors and specialists across the world feel that Constipation is a clear sign that your diet is lacking in fibre.So, don`t wait and adopt a healthy diet which includes lots of fruits ,grains and leafy vegetables and also a lot of fluids. Fibres will help steady your bowel movements.Fibre gives bulk to bowel movement making the stool easier to pass.

Foods to avoid

In order to help prevent constipation you should avoid or at least limit your intake of dairy products like milk, yoghurt and foods that are high in fat content, foods that are high in cholesterol content and processed foods.Don’t even think of fatty and junk food as it will aggravate your pain.

Increase physical activity

Start walking or try simple exercise regime like jogging, skipping ,cycling and swimming.The best thing to do is to take a long walk everyday which could help get things moving along. Regular and light exercises gets the heart pumping and blood flowing which ultimately aids in constipation.

Try these home remedies

Switch to Prunes and prune juice

Eat a pear during breakfast or after dinner 

Have 1-2 oranges before going to bed and the same after 

getting up.They will stimulate your bowels for sure. 
Try Grapes and honey which are generally known as natural 

laxatives

Try Aloe Vera Juice with pulp for a quick remedy.It`s a 

natural fiber. Aloe vera relaxes the muscles of your digestive 

track and colon so that the feces can pass through easily. 

The smooth fibrous fluid of the aloe vera plant soothes the 

muscles of your digestive track and softens your stool.

Check for the side effects of medications

Most of the time constipation is a side effect of a medication 

or some other illness.If you are taking the medication or 

suffer from an illness that may involve constipation as a 

symptom of the illness, you should try to avoid foods that 

make the risk of constipation higher.Discuss these with your 

doctor and prepare a proper diet chart.

Say bye to stress and depression

Just relax and avoid engaging in stressful activities and 

anything which spurs tension and worry. All such mental 

conditions affect our daily lives and our eating habits leading 

to irregular bowel movements.Ensure that you keep stress at 

bay and keep yourself happy and spirited.

Five easy ways to maintain a steady weight

Maintaining the ideal body weight is a much tougher task at hand, as people tend to fall back into their old habits easily. The temptation of chocolate puddings and French fries that seemed like the forbidden apple throughout the lent suddenly turns out to be so irresistible, that a bit of indulgence becomes over-indulgence without you even realizing that you are piling up those extra kilos once again!

Quick-fix diets and intense short-term exercises aimed at losing weight usually don’t work in the long run. 

Here are a few rules to follow that may help you maintain the ideal weight:


i) EAT HEALTHY 

Having a healthy diet plan simply means not skipping three regular meals a day; having a balanced low-fat diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, and keeping a watch on the portion size. 

In an attempt to lose instant weight, people skip meals or tend to follow crash diets for quick results. Skipping meals result in an increased chance of developing diabetes, a low supply of essential nutrients and a drastically altered metabolism. Not having your meals at proper intervals slows down the metabolism, so when you eat the next time, the body finds it difficult to break down the food thus storing it as fat which in turn can make you obese. 

Even sticking to only protein or fruit diet can be a risk. A protein diet can increase the risk of heart diseases, raise cholesterol levels and can make you feel constipated due to insufficient supply of fibre. Excess intake of protein can also worsen condition in those suffering from kidney problems.

Similarly, in case of an all-fruit diet the body is deprived of essential nutrients like protein and fats- which though most often demonized is very much necessary for maintaining hormone levels and proper brain function. Fruit diet also loads your body with excess sugar which can send your pancreas into a serious state of fatigue. 

No one diet plan can supply all essential nutrients required for our body. So it’s very important to have regularly timed, balanced meals in small portions to maintain a healthy weight. 

ii) INDULGE BUT OCCASIONALLY 

We are humans and keeping away from temptations for long is not always easy. Sinful eating occasionally can be forgiven. Follow a 80/20 rule i.e. if your are following a healthy diet 80 percent of the time, 20 times you definitely can gorge on to your favourite choco lava cake or an extra slice of pizza. Just try and balance it out by going for a smaller portion of meal than you regularly do and a bit of intense exercise. 

iii) EXERCISE 

Sounds like a real tough task. Taking out time to sweat it out in the gym, considering the busy, tight schedule, seems almost impossible. Don’t worry. Forget the gym. Avoid the elevator and use the stairs instead, do a bit of cooking, gardening, and your regular household chores. Going up and down the stairs just four times could burn up to 115 calories as it’s a great form of aerobics and spending an hour cooking can help you lose about 150 calories. Chores like mopping, sweeping, dusting and washing laundry is good for your arms, thighs and abs. 


iv) KEEP STRESS AT BAY 

Most people assume that stress leads to weight loss, but the truth is, it can be the other way round as well. Overindulgence, especially on junk, high-fat, high-sugar food brings comfort though for a short while. 

`Comfort eating` leads to consumption of food in large quantity in response to the feelings instead of hunger. 

Stress triggers the brain to produce corticotropin-releasing hormone, which suppresses appetite. However, when stress persists for a longer period, the adrenal glands release the cortisol, which increases appetite. 

Meditate, indulge in fun activities, pamper your-self with a massage and interact with friends to ward off stress and keep the weight at bay. 

v) BE REALISTIC & KEEP TRACK 

Don’t go by the `size-zero` trend. Different people have their own shapes and sizes. Try to have a healthy weight than a perfect figure. Self-monitor to keep a tab on your eating habits. Check your weight at least once a week. Keeping a regular tab will help you loose the few pounds without putting in much extra effort. 

Maintaining an ideal weight can’t be achieved by focusing on short result-oriented activities, instead a planned long term approach, lifestyle change, more realistic approach and regular perseverance is required to attain healthy results. 

HRT linked to higher risk of contracting and dying from breast cancer

 Estrogen plus progestin use has been linked with increased breast cancer incidence, a study has found.

The study also found that prognosis is similar for combined hormone therapy`s users and non-users  suggesting that death from breast cancer may be higher for hormone therapy users as well.

In the Women`s Health Initiative (WHI) randomized trial, estrogen plus progestin was associated with an increase in both breast cancer incidence and mortality.

In order to determine the differences between the WHI trial and other observational studies, lead researcher and colleagues, looked at post menopausal women, who had no prior hysterectomy with negative mammograms within two years and were either users or non-users of estrogen and progestin combined therapy.

They found that breast cancer incidence was higher in estrogen plus progestin users than incidence in non-users.

Women who started hormone therapy closer to menopause had a higher breast cancer risk with a weakening influence as the time from menopause increased.

The researchers wrote that because survival after breast cancer diagnosis did not differ between estrogen plus progestin users and nonusers, the higher breast cancer incidence of those using estrogen plus progestin may lead to increased breast cancer mortality on a population basis.

5 myths about stress

First myth is that getting enough sleep, exercising and eating right can reduce stress. But the fact is that though taking care of ourselves can help us feel good, but it won’t come close to mitigating stress.

It is important not to neglect the cause of stress.

Second myth is that stress makes people more vulnerable to illness. But according to psychology professors , who studied more than 300 studies on stress and immune system functioning, the immune system is extremely flexible and can handle even fairly large amounts of stress without going out of whack.

They said that stress can produce fairly dramatic changes in the immune system without necessarily causing people to get sick.

Third myth states that most people exposed to traumatic events develop post-traumatic stress disorder. But most people who have been through traumatic events don’t develop Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Although about 60 percent of U.S. adults say that they have had at least one traumatic experience, the average prevalence of PTSD is between 6.8 percent and 7.8 percent.

Fourth myth is that men and women respond to stress differently because of genetic and hormonal differences, in fact it can be said about gender differences in stress response that women and men act differently when they are under stress.

Fifth myth states that if women learn to cope better with stress, they’ll be able to resolve work-family conflict, but work and family aren’t having a conflict; it’s work and workplace policies, work and limited child-care options that are at odds.

A Dr. said that if we stop treating stress as the problem to be solved and instead work for the kinds of social and political changes that will benefit women, men and children, maybe then we can find a real solution for women’s “stress.”

Surgery to treat chronic diabetes

Soon, chronic diabetes patients in the city might take to surgery to beat their fluctuating blood sugar levels. Speaking about this at a conference held on Friday, medical practitioners said that the procedure known as "Ileal interposition with sleeve gastrectomy" would not just help in effectively controlling type 2 diabetes but will also eliminate the need for medication to treat the ailment.

While the procedure, doctors said is not new; it has failed to pick up in the city. Dr Surendra Ugale of Kirloskar Hospital, Basheerbagh, who first performed this surgery in 2008 claimed to have reversed Type 2 diabetes in 225 patients (of the 250 he operated on) in India and Istanbul. "Very few patients had a recurrence of their diabetes at some point," he said, adding that the surgery costs Rs 4 lakh.

A case in point is Meena, a Type 2 diabetic, who was under severe stress till last year as medicines failed to control her blood sugar levels. An episode of hypoglycemia (occurs as a complication of treatment of diabetes mellitus with insulin or oral medications) that left her unconscious for an hour further added to her troubles. Though averse to surgery, the 52-year-old finally went under the knife last year. Ever since, Meena claims that, she has stopped taking the 7-8 pills she needed daily to keep her ailment under check.

Type 2 diabetes mostly occurs due to poor eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle, unlike type 1 which occurs due to genetic predisposition.
Doctors however cautioned that the surgery is only for patients with progressive diabetes that impacts the heart, kidneys, eyes, nerves and pancreas. "It is not for patients who can manage their blood sugar levels by exercise, balanced diet and medications," they said.

The procedure involves removing the ghrelin producing area of the stomach. Ghrelin acts against insulin. Then, a section of one of the three parts of the small intestine, the ileum, is cut and placed closer to the stomach. The ileum produces the hormone GLP-1, which helps in insulin secretion. This means food from the stomach takes just 10 minutes to reach the ileum instead of an hour that it is used to take earlier. This reduces the dependence on insulin injections.

Smoking Can Lead to Bladder Cancer !

Graphic warning labels on packs of cigarettes may convince 

some people that smoking ups the risk of bladder cancer, 

says a new study.

A survey of 291 people  found less than half knew that 

smoking cigarettes is tied to an increased risk of bladder 

cancer, but three quarters said a graphic warning label would 

help raise awareness.

Clearly patients do understand the association between 

cigarette smoking and lung cancer or chronic obstructive 

pulmonary disease, but we found in this little survey that only 

about 45 percent knew there was any risk of cigarette 

smoking associated with bladder cancer.

The researchers say that past research had suggested 

between 30 percent and 50 percent of all bladder cancers are 

caused by cigarette smoking.

In Canada, cigarette and little cigar manufacturers have to 

cover 75 percent of their product's packages with warnings 

that include graphic images of people with various cancers 

and conditions linked to smoking.

Survey covered more than 300 smokers, less than half knew 

a person's risk of bladder cancer was linked to smoking, 

compared to 98 percent who knew of a link between smoking 

and lung cancer.

After seeing a mock warning label that featured a graphic 

picture of a malignant bladder tumour  about 58 percent said 

it had changed their opinions on smoking and bladder cancer.

That meant the people were probably more convinced of the 

association - not that they would quit smoking, but about 75 

percent thought the label would help get the message across.

LABELS AND CESSATION

He added that it's important to get people to quit smoking, 

because a person's risk of cancer will continue to fall over 

time.

According to the researchers, the risk of bladder cancer falls 

by about 40 percent about one to four years after a person 

quits smoking, and is back to average risk about 20 to 30 

years after quitting.

As time accumulates, the risks do fall off.

One of the labels warns buyers that "cigarettes cause bladder 

cancer," and features a picture of bloody urine, which is a 

symptom of the cancer.

Eat More Fibre To Keep Stroke Away

For every 7-gram bump in daily fibre consumption, an individual's risk for experiencing an initial stroke appears to plummet 7 percent, the investigators concluded after analytical 20-plus years of research.

Total dietary fibre intake should be 25 to 30 grams a day from food, but on average many people  are getting only half this amount.

Most people would have little trouble increasing overall fibre intake by 7 grams a day, the team concluded. A wide range of everyday foods -- for example, a serving of whole-wheat pasta plus a piece of fruit and a standard serving of tomatoes -- would enable people to reach this goal, the authors said.

The finding builds on prior evidence that has indicated consumption of plant-based dietary fibre -- including fruits, nuts, vegetables and whole grains -- may curb key factors that raise stroke risk, such as high blood pressure and elevated levels of so-called "bad" (LDL) cholesterol.

Strokes occur when a clot blocks a blood vessel to the brain or when a blood vessel bleeds into the brain. Stroke and other brain-based blood vessel diseases are collectively the world's second-leading killer, causing more than 6 million deaths annually and leaving large numbers of people with lasting disability.

Everything that may be done, however small, to improve prevention is important and could have an impact on many thousands of lives. This is particularly true for people already at risk of stroke, such as smokers, obese individuals and those with high blood pressure, the study noted.

Overall, the study team found that the more total dietary fibre consumed, the lower the risk of a first stroke.

However, the researchers were unable to tease out which particular fibre rich foods might offer the most protective benefit, given a lack of food-specific data in the studies reviewed. More research would be needed to come up with an ideal stroke-prevention grocery list.

The analysis also only looked at the potential benefit of fibre obtained directly from foods, rather than from supplements, so one can't say that fibre supplements would provide the same benefit as eating fibre-rich foods.

Increasing your fibre intake doesn't necessarily mean wholesale change to your diet. It might just mean switching from white bread to whole-meal, or from corn flakes to bran flakes.

Such simple measures convey many benefits. We have found that stroke risk is reduced with even small increases in fibre intake, particularly if you are starting from a very low initial intake.

This is all about making healthier food choices and moving towards a plant-based diet, because people just aren't eating enough fruits and vegetables.

Gut Bacteria May Be Key to Gastric Bypass' Effects

Gastric bypass surgery may help people lose weight by 

changing the make-up of bacteria living in the intestines, 

suggests a new study conducted in mice.

Scientists  discovered that performing gastric bypass surgery 

on mice altered the composition of the bacterial colony living 

in the animals' guts. Even when they did not perform the 

surgery, and just transferred the new bacterial colony into the 

intestines of mice, those mice lost weight.

Simply by colonizing mice with the altered microbial 

community, the mice were able to maintain a lower body fat, 

and lose weight -- about 20 percent as much as they would if 

they underwent surgery,said the researchers.

The study suggests that the specific effects of gastric bypass 

on the microbiota contribute to its ability to cause weight 

loss, and that finding ways to manipulate microbial 

populations to mimic those effects could become a valuable 

new tool to address obesity.

Another expert agreed that the gut is intricately tied to weight 

loss.

The gut is a key player in metabolism, and this makes it even 

more than ever an ideal target for interventions for treating 

metabolic diseases and obesity.

It may someday be possible to use medication or changes in 

diet to help people lose weight by changing the make-up of 

germs in the intestine. 

For many years, researchers thought they(bacteria) were a 

contaminant because we get them from the environment as 

we eat. But, scientists now understand that the bacteria play 

a role in the way the body processes food. We eat for us, 

but we also eat for them [bacteria].

Scientists have suspected that gastric bypass procedures, 

which funnel food away from the stomach, change the 

make-up of bacteria in the gut.

 The bypass, by shortening the digestive tract, may actually 

change "the chemistry of the intestinal environment where 

these bugs live."

Scientists note that research with animals often fails to 

provide similar results in humans.

 -- the transfer of germs from one mouse to another -- will be 

a challenge in humans, said a researcher.

"The transfers were done to germ-free animals, but humans 

are not germ-free, and it will be difficult to take a pill and get 

germs to the right location [in the digestive system],said a 

researcher.

Vitamin D may help some Parkinson's patients

Depending on their genes, some Parkinson's patients may be 

able to slow their deterioration by taking vitamin D 

supplements, according to a small study from Japan.

Researchers randomly assigned 114 people with Parkinson's 

disease to take either vitamin D or a placebo every day for a 

year and found the neurologic condition didn't progress as 

much in those who took the supplements, compared to those 

who took placebos. But that was only true for people with 

certain versions of a gene for the vitamin D receptor.

Previous studies have found that people with Parkinson's 

disease have low levels of vitamin D circulating in their 

blood, though none have established whether the vitamin 

deficiency is a cause or effect of the disease.

The body produces vitamin D from sunlight exposure and 

uses it to help get calcium into bones, among other functions. 

The vitamin itself activates a receptor protein in cells that 

triggers the activity of a variety of genes.

For the new study, researchers recruited 114 Parkinson's 

patients between 45 and 85 years old to see whether taking 

vitamin D supplements would change how fast the symptoms 

of Parkinson's disease progressed.

Of those, 56 patients took 1,200 international units of vitamin 

D per day for 12 months, and 58 took placebos for the same 

length of time.

At the beginning of the study, about 45 patients in each group 

scored a 1 or 2 on a five-point scale that measures disability 

from Parkinson's disease. A score of 1 represents the least 

disability, while a 5 is bedridden.

Measures of disability include whether or not a person has 

impaired movement, trouble balancing and can get around on 

their own.

At the end of the year, the researchers found that 16 people 

in the group taking the supplements didn't get worse on the 

five-point scale, compared to 7 people whose symptoms were 

stable in the group taking the placebo.

But when they looked at the patients' vitamin D receptor 

genes, the researchers found that people with the gene 

version known as FokI TT benefited the most from 

supplements, followed by those with the FokI CT variant, 

compared to people in the placebo group. People with the 

FokI CC genotype did not benefit at all.

Research suggests that people with the FokI TT and FokI CT 

variants respond to the additional vitamin D better than those 

with the FokI CC version of the gene.

Just 14 percent of the study participants had the TT gene 

version, while 52 percent had the CT genotype and 34 

percent had the CC version of the gene. Those proportions 

are in keeping with most populations, where between 8 

percent and 18 percent of people have the TT variant, 

according to the researchers, and between 46 percent and 58 

percent of non-Asians have the CT variant.

There were no differences in the starting levels of circulating 

vitamin D among the study participants, and about half began 

with levels considered deficient. All the patients who got the 

supplements more or less doubled the amount of D in their 

bloodstream by the end of the study while the levels in the 

placebo group didn't change.

The large number of participants taking vitamin D whose 

symptoms did not get worse over the course of the year 

suggests that vitamin D supplementation may stabilize "the 

severity of Parkinson's disease in patients with FokI CT and 

TT genotypes for a short period of time.

But there are still unanswered questions. Among them, what 

effect of vitamin D might account for the symptom differences 

seen at the end of the study.

Past research has found the vitamin can improve muscle 

strength and balance in elderly people, for example. So the 

researchers said they cannot be sure whether the patients' 

Parkinson's did not progress in people who took the D 

supplements or their balance just improved.

If we do the same trial by targeting an older generation 

without Parkinson's disease and get the same results, that 

suggests the effect we observed in this study was due to just 

improving balance, said a researcher.

The bottom line is there are so many other factors to take 

into consideration, he said.

Why People Gain Weight ?

Lack of Sleep
There are two issues at work with sleep and weight gain. The first is intuitive: If you're up late, the odds are greater that you're doing some late-night snacking, which will increase your calorie intake. The other reason involves what's going on biochemically when you're sleep deprived. Changes in hormone levels increase hunger and appetite and also make you feel not as full after eating.

Stress
When life's demands get too intense, our bodies go into survival mode: Cortisol, the "stress hormone," is secreted, which causes an increase in appetite. And then of course, we may reach for high-calorie comfort foods in times of stress as well. This combination is a perfect breeding ground for weight gain.

Antidepressants
An unfortunate side effect from some antidepressants is weight gain. Talk to your doctor about making changes to your treatment plan if you think your antidepressant is causing weight gain. But never stop or change your medication on your own. Realize that some people experience weight gain after beginning drug treatment simply because they're feeling better, which leads to a better appetite. Also, depression itself can cause changes in weight.

Steroids
Anti-inflammatory steroid medications like prednisone are notorious for causing weight gain. Fluid retention and increased appetite are the main reasons. Although weight gain is common, the severity of this side effect depends on the strength of the dose and length of time on the drug. Some people may also see a temporary redistribution of fat while taking the drug -- to places like the face, back of the neck, or the abdomen.

Drugs That May Cause Weight Gain
Several other prescription drugs have been associated with weight gain. The list includes antipsychotic drugs (used to treat mood disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorders), along with medications to treat migraines, seizures, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Work with your doctor to find a medication that treats your symptoms without disrupting side effects.

Don't Jump to Blame the Pill
Contrary to popular belief, there is lack of evidence that combination birth control pills (estrogen and progestin) cause lasting weight gain. It is thought that some women taking the combination pill may experience some weight gain related to fluid retention, but this is usually short-term. If you're still concerned about possible weight gain, talk to your health care provider.

Hypothyroidism
If your thyroid (the butterfly-shaped gland in the front of your neck) is not making enough thyroid hormone, you're probably feeling tired, weak, cold, and gaining weight. Without enough thyroid hormone, the metabolism slows, making weight gain more likely. Even a thyroid functioning at the lower end of the normal range might cause weight gain. Treating hypothyroidism with medication may reverse some of the weight gain.

Don't Blame Menopause
Most women do gain some weight around the time of menopause, but hormones probably aren't the only cause. Ageing slows the metabolism, so you burn fewer calories, and changes in lifestyle (such as exercising less) play a role. But where you gain weight also may be related to menopause, with fat accumulating around your waist, not your hips and thighs.

Cushing's Syndrome
Weight gain is a common symptom of Cushing's syndrome, a condition in which you are exposed to too much of the hormone cortisol, which in turn causes weight gain and other abnormalities. Cushing's syndrome can occur if you take steroids for asthma, arthritis, or lupus. It can also occur when your adrenal glands produce too much of the hormone, or be related to a tumor. The weight gain may be most prominent around the face, neck or upper back, or waist.

Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS)
PCOS is a common hormonal problem in women of childbearing age. Most women with PCOS grow many small cysts on their ovaries. The condition leads to hormone imbalances that affect a woman's menstrual cycle and can lead to excessive body hair and acne. Women with this condition are resistant to insulin, which may cause weight gain. The weight tends to collect around the abdomen, putting these women at greater risk for heart disease.

Quitting Smoking
On average, people who stop smoking gain less than 10 pounds. Why? Because without nicotine you may:
Feel hungrier and eat more (this feeling should go away after several weeks)
Experience a decrease in your metabolism, without reducing your calorie intake
Find food tastes better, which may lead to overeating
Eat more high-fat, high-sugar snacks and drink more alcohol

Rule 1: If You Do Gain Weight ...
Don't stop taking any medications without first consulting your doctor. Recognize the importance of the drug you're taking. It may be critical to your health.

Rule 2: 
Don't compare yourself to other people taking the same drug. Not all people experience the same side effects on the same drug. Even if one drug caused someone else to lose weight, the same might not be true for you. Consult your doctor.

Rule 3: 
Don't freak out if the weight gain is just from water retention, which is not permanent weight or fat. Once you've finished taking the drug or gotten the medical condition under control, the puffiness from fluid retention may subside. Stick to a lower-sodium diet in the meantime.

Rule 4:
Check with your doctor about another drug you can take. In many cases, your doctor can switch you to another medication that might not have the same side effects.

Rule 5: 
Learn if the weight gain is from a decrease in metabolism -- from either a medical condition or medication. And if so, take the time to participate in metabolism-raising activities. Get moving!

Diabetes and Artificial Sweeteners

What Is an Artificial Sweetener?

You may hear many names for sweeteners: sugars, reduced-

calorie sweeteners, low-calorie sweeteners. Only some of 

these sweeteners are "artificial." Use this list to compare 

sweeteners:

• Sugars are naturally occurring carbohydrates. They 
• contain calories and raise your blood glucose levels -- the 
• level of sugar in your blood. Examples are brown sugar, 
• cane sugar, confectioner's sugar, fructose, honey, and 
• molasses.
• 
  
• Reduced-calorie sweeteners are sugar alcohols. These 
• sweeteners have about half the calories of sugars and are 
• considered a separate type of carbohydrates. They can 
• raise your blood sugar levels, although not as much as 
• other carbohydrates. Examples include isomalt, maltitol, 
• mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol. You'll often find these 
• reduced-calorie sweeteners in sugar-free candy and gum.
• 
  
• Low-calorie sweeteners are "artificial." This means they 
• were created in a lab rather than found naturally. Low-
• calorie sweeteners are considered "free foods." They have 
• no calories and do not raise your blood sugar levels.

Types of Artificial Sweeteners for Diabetes Patients

 These artificial sweeteners are considered  to be safe for 

use by the general public. 

• Saccharin can be found as Sweet 'N Low and Sugar Twin. 
• You can use it in both hot and cold foods. Avoid this 
• sweetener if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
• 
  
• Aspartame is found as NutraSweet and Equal. You can use 
• it in both cold and warm foods. It may lose some sweetness 
• at high temperatures. People who have a condition called 
• phenylketonuria should avoid this sweetener.
• 
  
• Acesulfame potassium or acesulfame-K is found as 
• Sweet One, Swiss Sweet, and Sunett. You can use it in 
• both cold and hot foods, including in baking and cooking.
• 
  
• Sucralose is found as Splenda. You can use it in hot and 
• cold foods, including in baking and cooking. Processed 
• foods often contain it.

Finding Artificial Sweeteners for Diabetes Patients in 

Prepared Foods

No sugar, low-sugar, naturally sweetened, no added sugar -- 

the list of what you encounter on products while shopping can 

be overwhelming. Use this "cheat sheet" to identify which 

products are sweetened the way you want them.

• No sugar means the product does not contain sugar at all. 
• It may contain sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners.
• No added sugar means that during processing, no extra 
• sugar was added. However, the original source might have 
• contained sugar such as fructose in fruit juice. Additional 
• sweeteners such as sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners 
• might have been added.
• Sugar free means that the product contains no sugars. It 
• may contain sugar alcohols or artificial sweeteners, 
• however.
• Dietetic can mean a lot of things. It's likely that the product 
• has reduced calories.
• All natural simply means that the product does not contain 
• artificial ingredients. It may contain natural sweeteners, 
• such as sugars or sugar alcohol.

When in Doubt, Read the Nutrition Label

To know for sure what kind of sweetener a food product 

contains, check the Nutrition Facts label. Under the 

Carbohydrate section, you can see how many carbohydrates 

the product contains. You can also see how much of these 

carbohydrates are in the form of sugar or sugar alcohol.

For even more information on diabetic nutrition, read the 

Ingredients list. It should indicate any added sweeteners, 

whether they are sugars, sugar alcohols, or artificial.

So, after reading all these, diabetics should know what type of sweets are allowed for them, which will not raise their blood sugar levels.